Iron Fist : The Movie
by capyle
Summary: A prose version of a fan movie script. After the murder of his parents, young Danny Rand has found himself in the mystical city of K'un L'un. There, he learns the forbidden martial arts of the hidden city, including the devastating Iron Fist technique. Using his new abilities, he sets off on a journey to avenge his parents' deaths. Meanwhile, a deadly old rival follows him.
1. Chapter 1

NOTE: This is my idea for an Iron Fist movie. As with a movie, some aspects of the original comic had to be changed for narrative purposes but I hope you enjoy it. Be on the look out for my Luke Cage movie fic as well. And yes, there will be a "Heroes For Hire: The Movie" fic.

Hong Kong...

A private plane sits on a Hong Kong airstrip with a company logo on its side: RAND CORP. Inside the hangar, a young couple load their backpacks along with their young son. These are the Rands: Wendel, Heather, and Daniel. Wendell and Heather are joint CEO's of the Rand Corp., a manufacturing company. Daniel is a thin, blonde haired boy, nose deep in a "Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu" comic.

Wendell shoves the last bit of clothes in his suitcase, "Hey Danny, can you give me a hand with this?".

He tosses the comic to the side, "Sorry, Dad," and he helps his father close the massive suitcase, zipping it shut.

"Your mother packs more and more clothes every trip we take," Wendell chuckles.

"I heard that," Heather responds with a wry smile, "You keep it up and you'll find yourself walking back to New York. Did you forget who flies the plane?"

"You think we can take a cab from Hong Kong to New York?," Wendell sarcastically asks his son.

"You can just get another plane, Dad" Danny responds with a smile, "Maybe we can buy an entire airline so we can fly anywhere we want."

Wendell shrugs, "Makes good business sense," he turns to Heather, "Must take after me."

"Hey, we're on vacation. No business talk."

"Dad, isn't that Mr. Meachum?," Danny asks as a suited gentleman enters the hangar.

Harold Meachum is a man in his late thirties, Vice President of Rand Corp. He is a somewhat heavyset man with an expensive suit, "Well if it isn't the Rands. Hello, Wendell, Heather. How's it going, Danny?" Wendell stands up to shake his hand, "I didn't expect to see you here, Harold."

"Our Chinese clients wanted to meet in person so I decided to make a pitstop, see how your vacation was going," Harold explains, "How's China?"

"It's awesome!," Danny exclaims, "We saw Hong Kong and next, Mom's gonna fly us to see the Great Wall."

"Sounds great. I bet you're excited."

Heather appears slightly annoyed, "Y'know it's funny, I was just telling the boys that business talk wasn't allowed on vacation. I sould have sent you the memo before we left."

"Okay, the Vice President of the company is not allowed, I understand," Harold raises his hands in mock surrender, "Tell ya what, I can get the some of the guys at the airport here to look at your plane before you take off. Make sure everything's in tip top shape so you don't have to do it yourselves."

"We can do it," Heather explains, still somewhat annoyed, "We always do."

"I insist. It's my way of making up for imposing on your vacation."

"Ah, why not, honey," Wendell asks, "We always do it ourselves. We can sit this one out, take a rest before we head out."

"Great. These guy took care of my jet the last time I was here and they know what they're doing," Harold explains as he backs out of the hangar, "Take it easy and relax. The plane will be ready in fifteen minutes."

Heather turns to Wendell with a sigh. Danny watches as Meachum speaks quietly with a technitian beside their plane. They both turn, looking at the family before continuing to talk. "Why is Harold here?," Heather asks dryly. Meachum and the technitian shake hands, Meachum giving him a pat on the back before they walk away. "He just dropped by for a visit," Wendell asures her, "There's no harm in that." The technitian is joined by others as they do maintenance on their plane, Meachum walking away silently. "I wanted quality time with the family, away from work," Heather groans. "This is quality time," Wendell smiles, pulling her in for a kiss. As Danny watches Meachum leave the area, the man giving him a slight smile and a wave before leaving his line of sight. Danny waves back quietly and rejoins his parents.

Minutes later, the technitian returns to the hangar and cheerfully informs his father, "Your plane is ready, Mr. Rand."

"Let's go," his father gathers up as many bags as he can carry. He and his mother carry the rest as they make their way to the plane. Hours later, the family is in the air, high over snowy mountains. It's night now. Heather sits in the pilot seat with Wendell as co-pilot. He checks the back of the plane and sees Danny fast alseep wth his comicbook on his lap.

"So when do you think we'll reach the airport?," Wendell asks.

"We should get there by morning."

"Need me to fly so you can take a nap?"

"I'm good. Thanks, honey."

"Well, if you're not going to sleep, I think I will."

Suddenly, the plane drops suddenly and jolts back up. It's enough to shake Danny awake. "Turbulance?," Wendell asks. A worried look crosses Heather's face, "No... something's wrong." The plane drops again. Heather pulls up hard, only for the plane to begin rattling.

Danny climbs toward the cockpit, "What's happening?".

"It's nothing, buddy," his dad reassures him, "Go back to sleep."

The plane drops again, smoke billowing out the back. Inside the cockpit, the engine failure warning signal lights up. Danny stares, worried. Heather and Wendell look at one another. Heather nods, slightly. Wendell opens the parachute compartment. A takes a chute out, noticing there is only one. He looks back at his wife.

"There aren't any chutes!," he tells her, trying his best to remain calm.

"I had three," she says, almost in a whisper.

"Can you land?"

"I... I can try."

The plane drops again. Danny begins to cry slightly but his father holds him by the shoulders. He puts on a brave face as he hands a bag to his son.

"Danny, do you remember what's in this bag?," he asks.

"It's emergency stuff," Danny says quietly, "But why..."

"It's your passport, food rations, blanket, flashlight, and a signal flare. You remember when we went camping last summer?"

"Y-yes."

"Okay, we're gonna have to land. When we get out, it's gonna be just like last summer."

"But why were you looking for the parachutes?"

"We thought we had to jump, but now... well, we're gonna have to land."

The plane dips down again, flying far too low as more signals light up. Heather struggles with the controls. Wendell straps his son into his seat tightly. Danny instantly buries his head between his legs. The plane jolts and Wendell is thrown back to the front of the plane. He manages to crawl into the co-pilot's seat in time to help take controls as they pull the plane to the sid ein order to avoid hitting the face of a cliff. They notice a mountain plateau nearby and silently agree to put the plane down. The hold on as hard as possible, putting the landing gears down as more smoke pours out the back. The plane flies over the plateau, blowing snow out of its way as it glide sin for a rough landing. It hits the ground hard, jostling everyone inside. The plane slides along the ground hard, its nose dipping down too low. The propellor hits rock, snapping off with a quick burst of flames. The plane spins in a circle toward the edge of the plateau. At this point, one of its engines bursts into flame forcing the plane to jolt to the side, smashign the tip of the opposite wing into the ground. This slows the momentum of the plane as it is pushed just to the tip of the edge, a massive canyon below.

Danny raises his head, peering into the cockpit. His mother sobs softly while hunched over his father who hangs limply from his seat. He unbuckles his seat belt and stands up, only for the plane to rock, its damaged nose peeking over the edge to the ground below. Heather raises up, apparently not wanting Danny to see his father, "Danny, don't come any closer!"

The plane tilts forward, threatening to topple over the edge. His mother carefully climbs out of her seat. Danny stays frozen, his bag clutched tightly to his chest. "Danny, I want you to carefully open the door," she tells him quietly. Danny complies. The plane pushes a few stones off the edge. Danny stands a few feet from the ground, the cold wind blowing by. His mother gently comes toward him, carefully reaching out to him... only for the plane to lurch forward, bringing her back to the floor. The plane begins to slip.

"Danny, jump!," his mother screams.

When he doesn't answer, she lunges forward, pushing him out of the door. Danny hits the snow below just as the plane falls off the edge completely. He turns around in time to see his mother's sorrow filled face as she falls along with the plane to the darkness below. Danny doesn't see or hear the crash but he closes his eyes tightly as tears begin to fall.

As he sits on the cliff, the fog rolls away behind him, revealing something behind it. Tall, red spires are the first visible objects.. The fog continues to move, showing an ancient-looking temple with Chinese architecture. It is surrounded by similar strutucres as the fog uncovers more and more of it. The city covers the entire plateau and even extends to some of the lower shelfs of the mountain. It's an old, majestic city that shines brightly even at night. The fog disappears, replaced completely with a city that did not, nor could not exist moments earlier. Danny continues to close his eyes, his head bowed toward the cliff, completely unaware of the sight behind him.

Soon, two figures approach. A hand extends, lightly touching Danny's shoulder. He spins around, falling on his backside. Two Asian men in monk's garbs stand above him and are seemingly just as surprised to see him. Danny cocks his head to the side and notices the city behind them. The two monks look at each other silently as if contemplating what to do with the boy.

THE IMMORTAL IRON FIST


	2. Chapter 2

Large gates open, revealing the monks and Danny who si still mesmerized by the sight. They enter into a courtyard which seems as if it exists in another time. The ground is lined with stone tile, senshi fir trees, and pagodas spread out along a paved path leading to the towering temple that seems to be at the heart of the city. The people walking by stop and stare at Danny. He stares back since they wear ancient robes and don't appear to have any sort of technology beyond what was common a thousand years ago. In the distance, he spots a field of grass where several men in green and yellow gi's practice martial arts. On their heads, they wear yellow bandanas with black around their eye holes. The monks lead Danny up a massive flight of stone steps with gold dragon statues on either side. The steps are lined with armored guards wearing similar yellow and black masks. Soon, they enter the temple, walking through another set of large doors. The inside is vaulted with gold dragon shrines along the walls and ebony tiles on the floor. At the front of the room, a group of men wearing green and gold robes stand up in unison. The man at the front of the group is older than the rest, wearing a purple and black head dress that comes down around his eyes and nose, nearly forming a mask akin to the ones Danny saw outside. He takes it off and sets it down, getting a good look at Danny.

Later, Danny sits in the corner, knees up to his chest and arms wrapped around his shins as the men argue about him. His eyes are blank and he is now in a nearly traumatized state. Their language is an ancient form of Mandarin, not that Danny would know.

"How did he get here?," one asks.

Another responds, "Maybe he was separated from his family."

"We need to take him back to civilization."

"Who will do that? By the time we reach a village, our city will leave this realm. Whoever takes the boy will be trapped outside for ten years."

"Besides that, we may end up exposing ourselves to the outside world if we do."

"The boy certainly does not belong here. He'll be trapped in our own realm for ten years if we don't do something soon."

"We can't let him go alone."

"We can't let the boy stay here, either. His family will be looking for him."

"What if he has no family?"

The oldest member of the group claps his hands together. The men stop arguing and turn to him. He says nothing as he walks past them, stopping once he reaches Danny. He smils at him pleasently. Danny manages to smile only slightly.

"Lei Kung," the old man tells him as he points to himself.

Danny responds by meekly pointing at his own chest, "Danny Rand."

Lei Kung continues in English, "You are not the first Westerner to visit us. I know your language. This **is** your language, isn't it?," Danny simply nods, "This city is named K'un L'un. Tell me where you are from."

"New York. America."

"And why are you here?"

Tears begin to pour from Danny's eyes, "My parents died. Our plane crashed. I... I can't remember much."

"I am sorry. Is there anyone else in your family?"

"No," Danny responds and looks up at the sky outside, realizing that it is day when it had previously been night, "This place wasn't here before. Where are we?"

"This is K'un L'un and I'm afraid that is all I can tell you, Danny. Do you have anywhere to go? Do you know anyone in China?"

"My parents owned the Rand Corporation. Do you know that company?," Kei Lung shakes his head, "Maybe we can call them... somehow."

Lei Kung looks saddened, "Danny, perhaps I can tell you the secret of K'un L'un after all."

With that, the other men quickly gather aroundLei Kung and begin to talk at once. Lei Kung simply raises a hand and makes a single command. They fall silent and Lei Kung continues, leading Danny away. "I will tell you everything you need to know, Danny; and if you wish, you can remain here or take your leave."

They pass through a hall with a large tapestry. Lei Kung narrates the story as Danny gazes at the pictures. At the front of the tapstry, he sees a man with a purple and black mask, similar to Lei Kung's.

"This is Yu-Ti, the first king of K'un L'un. He was a great warrior who trained himself to be greatest in the kingdom."

Danny notices a picture of Yu-Ti reading from scrolls, surrounded by candles.

"Yu-Ti practiced forbidden techniques, obtaining power that few mortals have ever posessed."

A large golden dragon hovers over a cave.

"The great dragon Shou-Lao The Undying warned Yu-Ti not to practice these arts. Yu-Ti did not listen."

Yu-Ti and Shou-Lao face off.

"They fought a furious battle. Yu-Ti was nearly defeated but he knew a technique that let him tear the dragon's heart from his chest."

The dragon's heart is in Yu-Ti's hand while Shou-Lao writhes in agony on the ground.

"Shou-Lao grew angry and decided to curse the entire city of K'un L'un."

A cyclical diagram showing moon phases and the city of K'un L'un in the center.

"K'un L'un was banished to another realm. It can only appear on Earth once every ten years... and only for a day," Kei Lung motions Danny toward the end of the hall, "Still, Yu-Ti did not return to the city empty handed. He still had the dragon's heart. It has resided here ever since."

Danny comes to a vaulted door with a large black serpentine shape on the front with two batlike wings. "Behind this door is the heart of Shou-Lao," Kei Lung explains, "It is encased in a shrine. If a K'un L'un warrior plunges his hand into it, he will be blessed with great power. Only the finest of our warriors have ever been granted the Iron Fist."

"What's the Iron Fist?"

Kei Lung smiles, "Some secrets need to be kept. I told you the story of our city because you need to make a very important decision."

The front gates to K'un L'un open, Kei Lung and Danny standing in the passageway. Danny looks notices that, outside the gate, it is still night. The wind howls mercilessly, sweeping snow into the air. Beyond that is a steep cliff and the unforgiveable mountains below.

"You can leave our city if you like. We do not have the luxury of your technology so you'll have to make the trip by foot. The mountains are steep and there is no protection from the cold. If you make the climb, there are roaming packs of wolves below. Beyond that, it will be days before you see another human being. I do not think you will survive and I urge you to reconsider."

"Can't... can't someone come with me?"

"It is rare for anyone to leave K'un L'un. We no longer belong to your world. If one of our people helped you, he would not be able to return to K'un L'un in time and will be trapped on Earth for ten years."

"But if I stay..."

"You will live among us. When you grow into a man, and our city returns, you'll be more capable of making the climb."

"How much longer do we have before I have to decide?"

"By our estimatations, K'un L'un will be on Earth only for a few more hours. Then our gates will be locked."

Danny gazes out at the wilderness. He turns to look at the saddened Kei Lung. He takes a few moments to contemplate, more tears running down his face. He wipes his nose with the sleeve of his jacket before silently nodding. Kei Lung turns to the guards. They begin to close the gate as Kei Lung places an empathetic hand on Danny's shoulder.

K'un L'un rests on the mountaintop. The Sun rises and as it does so, the city slowly fades away. Once the Sun is fully in the sky, the city is gone.


	3. Chapter 3

A news reporter smiles into a camera. "Welcome back. With me today is Harold Meachum, the new CEO of the Rand Corporation. Thank you for coming on to the show, Harold." Harold sits across from her in the studio. "Thank you for having me," he responds.

"It must have been difficult for you the past few days," the reporter begins, "With the Rand family tragically going missing during their vacation in China."

"It has been. Wendell and Heather built this company from the ground up. They have been pioneers in finding clean energy alternatives but aside from that, they were good people. Despite their busy schedules, they always made time for the family."

"Yes. One of the most heartbreaking aspects of this event is that young Daniel Rand, the heir to the Rand Corporation, has disappeared along with the family."

"Right," Harold becomes more serious, "Danny was a very intelligent young man. He would have made an excellent CEO had he lived to adulthood. I have no doubt about this. He had a very... bright future ahead of him."

Danny wakes up in bed. He sits up, wearing a white robe. He gazes out his window, watching a crowd of men and women in K'un L'un fighting gi's in several rows in the courtyard. They kick and punch in unison, roaring with every strike. Danny gets up and wanders outside where Kei Lung watches them.

"Are they practicing kung-fu?," he asks.

Kei Lung laughs, "Yes,... in a sense."

"Can I learn too?"

Kei Lung looks at him with a smile.

Behind the temple, several children wearing white gi's practice similar moves. Kei Lung leads Danny to them, briefly speaking to the instructor. Danny watches silently before a boy approaches him with a few of his friends behind him. The boy glares at Danny and asks something in Mandarin. Danny shakes his head, "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

Kei Lung steps forward, "Ah, this is my son, Davos. He is a student here," he turns to Davos, speaking to him in Mandarin, "Davos, this is Danny. You should greet him since he will be your classmate."

"Who is he, father?," Davos sneers.

Kei Lung becomes angry, "He is our guest! Mind your manners!"

Davos turns, shouting in English, "I am Davos, the Steel Serpent, son of Kei Lung the Thunderer! I am a prince of K'un L'un and one day, I will have the Iron Fist and be its greatest warrior!".

"Um... I'm Danny Rand. I like baseball?"

Davos bows reluctantly. Danny returns the bow nervously.

Days later, the boys are lined up in front of wood pillars. The instructor taps his staff against the ground and when he does so, the boys strike the wood pillars. Danny hits a pillar, only to pull his hand back and rub it painfully. Davos sneers at him, "You can give up, outsider. We don't expect much from you." Danny gets a determined look on his face and with the next tap, strikes the wood pillar, suppressing a whimper of pain. Davos glares angrily.

As Danny walks back from practice, clutching his hands painfully, he notices the front gates of K'un L'un. The guarding monks momentarily have their backs turn as they speak with some of the lieutenants. Danny sneaks behind them, the temptation too much to resist. He carefully grasps the front gate and pulls it open ever so slightly, peering out between the cracks. His eye widens as he looks out over a dark abyss, clusters of stars and energy trails leading to other realms spread out into infinity, revealing that the city is somehow floating in its own sphere. In the next moment, the gate is slammed shut by a monk's staff. Danny jumps back and meets the stern gaze of the guards. One of them shakes his head slowly as a warning. Danny nods understandingly and moves along.

Weeks later, Danny sits in the temple across from Kei Lung. Kei Lung counts to ten in Mandarin. Danny then repeats the numbers. When he is finished, Kei Lung tells him, "Good" in Mandarin. From behind a nearby column, Davos spies on them.

Months later, the boys are stretched out along planks, their legs held as far apart as possible as they stoop down with their hands behind their backs. Danny tries to balance himself, stumbling a bit as he does so. The instructor quickly chides him but Danny responds in broken Mandarin, "Sorry... uh,... No understand?". The instructor slaps Danny on his back with a stick, forcing him to stoop down lower. He presses his lips together to stifle a cry. Davos smirks a bit.

A year later, Danny stands on a hill, his silhouette against the backdrop of K'un L'un's sun. He begins by taking a fighting stance and explodes in a series of punches and kicks. From the temple, Kei Lung watches happily, proud of his student. As the years go on, Danny grows taller but continues to practice on the hill with the sun behind him. Now, with much more finesse.

Nine Years Later ...

Danny is now a teenager. His childhood skinniness has been replaced by years of intense exercise. His blonde hair has also been almost completely shaven which seems to match the other students his age. He wears a green and yellow gi as does his opponent. They square off in a dojo. Several instructors sit around the mat, wearing yellow or purple masks. An older Kei Lung sits on a throne at the front of the dojo. The two young men bow to him and then to one another before taking stances. Kei Lung gives the signal and they begin. His opponant strikes first with a kick. Danny steps back, allowing the kick to sail over his head. He pivots on his heel kicking him in the chest. The instructors clap and the young man spring back onto his feet with a backflip. He attacks again with three rapid punches which Danny blocks and returns with a palm strike, followed by a backfist. His opponent stumbles back before falling on his backside. The instructors clap again. Davos angrily watches from the crowd of students on the opposite side. With Danny the victor, the two combatants bow to each other and then to Kei Lung. "The winner is Daniel Rand-K'ai," Kei Lung announces, using Danny's K'unL'un name.

Outside the dojo, students and instructors leave, walking out into a garden. Danny bows respectively to a few of his instructors who smile at him pleasently before moving on. Davos and his friends approach him.

"You seem to win almost every match you're in these days, Daniel Rand-K'ai," Davos growls in Mandarin.

"Thank you, Davos," Danny responds also in Mandarin, "I train very hard."

"My father considers you one of his best students."

"I'll express my gratitude the next time I see him," Danny bows and begins to leave.

Davos catches Danny by the shoulder, "It's a shame you'll be leaving in the Winter. K'un L'un will return to Earth and you'll have to go home."

Danny appears sad, "Yes, I'll have to leave."

"We've sparred quite a few times, haven't we?"

"Yes."

"Do you know how many times you've won?"

"No. You're a very strong fighter, though. Probably the toughest I've ever..."

"You have won three matches and so have I. We're at a stalemate," he begins to get more serious, "I'll be disappointed if you leave before I get my final victory."

Danny tries to leave again, "I'm sure you'll win our next match," Davos catches him again and his friends crowd around Danny.

"Let's have our match now."

"We aren't supposed to fight outside of contests. You know that."

"These matches are pathetic. A winner can't be chosen by points. A fight cannot be held with rules. Our ancestors would fight until only one was standing. It was the only way to choose who earned the right to the Iron Fist," he moves in closely, "But you wouldn't know a damn thing about our ancestors... outsider."

Danny is visibly upset but backs away, "I won't fight you, Davos."

Davos roars angrily, launching himself forward with a kick to Danny's chest. He is thrown onto his back where he begins to cough and wheeze. Davos shouts at him, "Get up!," Danny struggles to his feet, "GET UP YOU COWARD!".

"I am not a coward," this time, Danny responds furiouly in English.

"Prove it."

"I am," with that, Danny turns and leaves.

Kei Lung appears on the scene, Davos' friends quickly bow to him and rush off, "Davos, I will not chide you in front of Daniel but this behavior is not suitable for a prince of K'un L'un. We are to act with dignity, especially to skilled fighters. You have never treated him with respect."

"Father, I have explained my feelings. He is an outsider. In fact, his parents were wealthy. His kind are materialists. They don't understand the ways of K'un L'un."

"Despite Danny's privledged life, he is humble. He has trained hard and has earned our respect. He has been very gracious toward you despite your constant bullying. This rivalry ends now."

"Yes, father," Davos bows but as his father leaves, his expression turns to resentment.


	4. Chapter 4

Two Weeks Before K'un L'un Returns To Earth...

Danny is brought into a larger arena. His hair has grown back slightly but is still quite short. He is 20 years old now. Many of the citizens of K'un L'un sit around the circular grotto with the head instructors sitting above them; Kei Lung and the rest of the council sit on the top layer. Davos enters from the opposits side. Both men both to each other and then to Kei Lung.

"Today we will witness a match between Daniel Rand-K'ai and my son, Davos," Kei Lung begins, "They are two of the finest warriors we have trained in these past ten years. I am proud to have instructed both of them as are the others instructors here."

The crowd applaudes and a few musicians on the side bang their drums.

"This will be a historic moment, not only because it is Daniel Rand-K'ai's final match but also because both these young men are fighting for a particular honor."

Davos and Danny both look surprised and curious. They glance at each other and back at Kei Lung.

"It has been many years since any K'un L'un warrior has been given this honor. Today, one of these men will get that chance. Whoever wins this match will be given the Iron Fist," he motions for two monks to raise a banner which bears the symbol of the Iron Fist. Drum beats follow.

There are murmurs throughout the arena. Danny looks befuddled. Davos smiles intensely. Kei Lung continues, "Daniel Rand-K'ai has proven to be one of the most skilled fighters in K'un L'un despite not belonging to our world. Davos is an equally skilled warrior and a prince of K'un L'un. It is fitting that their last contest involve the passing of the Iron Fist."

The crowd begins to murmur even louder. Davos smiles proudly at his father who smiles back. Danny, however, seems somewhat distressed. He steps forward and bows on his knees to Kei Lung. Everyone suddenly falls silent, including Davos.

"Master Kei Lung," he begins, "I am grateful for this honor but I do not feel worthy of the Iron Fist. I will leave this world soon. As you said, I'm an outsider. There is no reason to take the Iron Fist with me. I will fight but if I win, I cannot accept this gift. I am sorry."

A low whisper falls over the crowd. Davos cocks his head curiously as Danny continues to kneel. Kei Lung seems surprised as well but turns to his son, "Davos, what do you have to say?" Davos turns, straightens up and loudly proclaims, "I accept the Iron Fist!". He raises his hands triumphantly, only to realize no one is cheering. His father looks away, disappointed. Danny rises, also a bit perplexed.

"Davos, my son," Kei Lung begins, "You were meant for better things than this. The power was yours for the taking... if only you had been the one to relent."

"What... What do you mean?"

"Daniel Rand-K'ai has proven he has physical skill but also a balanced mind. He has shown humility today by surrendering a chance at power. It is a lesson I have been praying you would learn for years. This contest could have proven this. I'm sorry Davos,... but you have failed the test. Instead, this power will be bestowed to Daniel Rand-K'ai."

Davos' jaw drops. He shakes his head in disbelief. Danny is likewise shocked. The crowd kicks up again, gossiping, arguing, or otherwise, expressing their disbelief. Danny is unaware of what to do but Davos points an accusing finger at him.

"I CHALLENGE DANIEL RAND-K'AI TO A FIGHT TO THE DEATH!"

The crowd falls silent again. Kei Lung sadly places his hand over his brow. Davos turns to him, hoping for some trace of acceptance but recieves none, so he searches the crowd but finds no sympathy. Danny looks away in embarrassment. Furious, he storms out of the arena leaving Danny standing alone.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, Danny is led through the main hall of the temple, the Yu-Ti tapestry still running along its wall. He wears ceremonial robes while two female monks escort him. They lead him to the end of the hall where the door to Shou-Lao is held. They open the door for him and he steps through.

The room is much large ron the inside than expected. The ceiling is dome shape and the walls are engraved with gold. In the center is a braizer shrine containing. The bowl of the shrine is filled halfway with water and gold dust. The stands are dragon shape and wrap around the center piece: a glass globe containing the still-beating heart of Shou-Lao. The dragon's heart is massive and continues to pump the air around it since it has been dry for centuries and it is no longer connected to any veins, much less a body. Danny stares at it mesermized.

"There is a reason why he is called Shou-Lao the Undying," Kei Lung stands on the opposite side of the room, "His heart has been beating for centuries despite its removal. Likewise, he still lives."

He signals to the two monks who remove his robes, exposing his bare chest. The fold the robes together and carry them out of the room. "I thought there would be more people here for the ceremony," Danny admits.

"I'll be taking my leave soon too, actually," he explains, "Obtaining the Iron Fist is a deeply spiritual and personal process. One has to take the path alone. You don't need any distractions."

"So before I do this... what is the Iron Fist, exactly?"

"It is pure chi energy, channeled through a single strike. It is your essence. Your inner-spirit turned into a living weapon," he comes in closer, "When you undertake this process, you will see what lies inside. You will see truths that have long been buried. It will be painful both physically and mentally."

"So..."

"Plunge your fists inside the brazier when you are ready. Keep them there until the process has been finished. You will be tempted to remove your hands... don't."

"If I do?"

"Your eyes will melt and you will cough up your own intestines."

Danny gives him a blank stare.

"I'm only joking," Kei Lung chuckles, "The process will be interrupted and will have to start again in order to work properly. Keep them in. Good lucky, Daniel Rand-K'ai."

He leaves Danny to his own devices, cosing the heavy door behind him. Dnny turns and looks into the shrine. He cocks his head to the right, psyching himself up for the task. "Here we go," he mutters aloud and raises his hands. He shoves them into the water, punching his fists into the gold dust beneath the surface. And there his hands stay. There is no effect. Nothing magical at first. He furrows his brow, wondering if he did something wrong.

Then the water begins to bubble slightly, steam rising up into his face. The room gets hot and light begins to emit from the water. The heart seemingly pumps harder as Danny begins to grit his teeth In pain. The water boils more, a cloud of steam pouring over the side as the light gets brighter. Danny's chest begins to turn red and burn. His eyes flare open as he begins to have visions.

_ He is ten years old. He waits with his family in a hangar in Hong Kong. Harold Meachum enters, "Well if it isn't the Rands. Hello, Wendell, Heather. How's it going, Danny?" His dad greets him "I didn't expect to see you here, Harold." His mother appears slightly annoyed, "Y'know it's funny, I was just telling the boys that business talk wasn't allowed on vacation." "Okay, t**he Vice President** of the company is not allowed, I understand," Harold says._

The burn on Danny's chest begins to get worse. It grows longer, resembling a serpantine shape. Danny screams.

_Harold continues to talk to the family, "Tell ya what, I can get the some of the guys at the airport here to look at your plane before you take off."_

"_Make sure everything's in tip top shape so you don't have to do it yourselves."_

"_I insist."_

Danny arches his back in agony. The serpantine shape turns black as smoke rises from it. The light gets more intense, almost filling the entire room.

_ Ten year old Danny watches as Meachum speaks quietly with a technitian beside their plane. Meachum and the technitian shake hands, Meachum giving him a pat on the back. _

_This time, Danny's vision is even more clear. As Meachum shakes his hand, he slips money into the other palm._

The serpantine scar on Danny's chest forms wings. A great pillar of light erupts, completely engulfing the screaming Danniel Rand.

_The technitians looks around suspiciously as the crowd the plane's engine, covering their work._

_Meachum leaves the area, giving Danny a slight smile and a wave before leaving his line of sight._

His eyes snap open.

_He remembers the plane ride. His father turns to his mother and explains the parachutes are missing._

_His parents' plane dives down toward the mountain with the assurance of death. He can hear his mother scream, "Danny!"._

The light dies down. The water stops bubbling, releasing Danny's hands. He falls to his knees in physical and mental exhaustion. On his chest, there is now the mark of Shou-Lao, a large black, winged dragon. Kei Lung calmly comes inside, placing Danny's robes around his shoulders.

"What did you see, Daniel Rand-K'ai."

"I saw my parents' deaths," he gasps, "It wasn't an accident... they were murdered."

"What will you do now?"

"I'll kill the man responsible."


	6. Chapter 6

Danny sits in a wooded garden, in a lotus position. In front of him is a large stump and beside him stands Kei Lung. Danny nows wears a yellow bandana mask, identitical to other K'un L'un warriors.

"You now have the power of the Iron Fist inside you. It will always be inside of you. Concentrate. Feel it," Kai Lung tells him.

Danny closes his eyes and furrows his brow but nothing happens.

"You have a lt of hatred and anger in you," Kei Lung explains, "Try to focus all your energy into your fist."

A few moments go by before a faint glow emerges between his fingers. His eyes snap open once he realizes this and the glow disappears almost as quickly. Danny briefly checks his hand.

"Do not be distracted. You have a balanced mind. Use it."

He closes his eyes again. The glow returns but this time, Danny remains calm. The glow gets brighter. "Feel the strength of your own spirit," Kei Lung tells him, "And once you've reached the amount of power you wish to have, release it."

Danny strikes forward, a faint glow of energy following his fist as he punches the stump in front of him. The entire stump explodes into splinters, the roots are torn from the ground, and a large cloud of energy erupts around it. The stump is no more, leaving a smoldering hole in the ground. Amazed, Danny checks his hand one more time.

He walks over to the trees. He clenches his fist again, closing his eyes as the energy returns to his palm. Kei Lung simply stands back and watches. Danny roars with fury and lets his fist fly. Half the tree is blasted away from the punch, sending debris in every direction and nearly cutting it in half. The tree creaks and bends, gradually tipping over. Danny looks up in time to see the top portion of the tree falling toward him. He quickly charges his left fist and punches. The tree explodes around him in a golden cloud. Chunks of it fly into the other trees, tearing off bits of bark as they go.

Danny falls to his hands and knees, gasping for breath. Kei Lung steps forward, "As with any weapon, one should show discretion in using it. This one happens to be a **living** weapon. The Iron Fist is a part of you and if you abuse it, then you only hurt yourself. You have a great deal of hate and anger inside you right now. It's understandable. You should nto try to control your emotions but you should not allow them to control you, either. Instead, they are to be harnessed." Kai Lung takes his leave while Danny continues to struggle for air. From far away, Davos watches with envy.

Once again, Harold Meachum sits with the reporter who had interviewed him ten years prior. They both look slightly older and the set has been decorated since Meachum's last visit.

"Welcome back, we're here with Harold Meachum of the Rand-Meachum Coporation. Harold, welcome back to the show."

"Thank you."

"Now, the last time you were on the show was about ten years ago. It was around the same time that the Rand family had gone missing."

"That's right. We're actually honoring the ten year anniversary of the Rands' disappearance with a commemorative plaque we will be placing on our main building."

"Looking back, what do you think Wendel and Heather Rand would say about the direction Rand-Meachum has taken in the past ten years."

"Oh, they would be excited. Absolutely. We're currently making plans for fuel effencient trains that would greatly improve city transportation. I think they would be really pleased."

"I'm sure they would. The Economist reported that you are slowly becoming a rival even for Stark Enterprises."

"Well, if there's a rivalry, you can be sure it will be a friendly one. We play nice with others," Harold laughs, "But seriously, I miss the Rand tremendously. I wish they were here today."

On a plateau in China, a mist rolls over the cliff before revealing the city of K'un L'un.

Danny packs up his belongings, including the bag his father gave him shortly before their plane crashed. He opens it, examining the US passport which contains an outdated picture; then he places it in his bag and slings it over his shoulder. He wears modest, brown, loose clothes, the most Earth-like attire K'un has but still not very modern. He walks out to the courtyard and is flanked by a large portion of the population. They bow to him respectfully and he bows back. He walks along the path toward the large double gates. There, Kei Lung waits for him.

"Master," Danny begins, "I cannot thank you enough. For the past ten years, you have been like a father."

"And you have been a favored pupil. Be well, Daniel Rand-K'ai, this city will always remember you. I hope you find what you're looking for and that the death of your parents can be avenged," he brings him in close, "Remember, don't let your emotions consume you."

"Thank you, Master."

They bow and two monks open the gate. Danny steps forward and once again sees the edge of the cliff: a sight he has not seen in ten years. This time, however, the climb does not appear as daunting. Danny takes one last look at the citizens of K'un L'un and smiles. In the distance, he notices Davos on the steps of the temple, watching. He bows in his direction but Davos continues to stare. Disappointed nut not particularly surprised, Danny makes one final wave at the crowd. Kei Lung reciprocates and Danny steps through the gates, the monks closing it behind him as he goes.


	7. Chapter 7

With Daniel Rand gone, Davos quickly enters the temple, racing down the main hall and making his way to the chamber of the Iron Fist. He opens the door and steps inside. Standing in front of the dragon shrine, he is mermerized by the still-beating heart. He rips his shirt away, raises his hands, and plunges his fists in the water. It begins to boil, steam rising while Davos grins. As he is slowly engulfed in light, he sees a vision of the past. _He is a young boy and is in the dojo, taking a fighting stance. A very young Danny Rand gives a shout, "K'aaaiii" and flies forward with a kick to his chest. Davos falls out of the ring. His own father stoops down, congratulating Danny, "Well done, Daniel Rand-K'ai. You have won your first match!". A young Davos gets up, glaring venomously._ In the present, his chest begins to burn, a serpantine shape appearing, similar to Danny's but without the wings just yet.

"Davos!," Kei Lung rushes into the room.

Distracted, Davos stumbles away as the light and steam die down. He falls onto his side and notices the serpantine shape on his chest turning black. Kei Lung stares in horror, barely able to verbalize his emotions, "My son... Do you realize what you've done?"

Davos drags himself up to a defiant, standing position, "Yes, father. I have taken what was rightfully mine."

"The Iron Fist does not rightfully belong to you! Even I did not accept it in my youth despite my title! Its power is meant for those who would choose to use it wisely."

"And you were a fool not to take it!"

Kei Lung snatches him by the shoulders, "I did not take it because I coveted it! I wanted it! I was wise enough to know that even with that small amount of pride, I was not a worthy vessel."

Davos pushes him away, "And that outsider was? Admit it, father, you loved him more than me!"

Kei Lung looks at him sadly, "I didn't... But I did wish you would change to be more like him."

"Well," Davos points to the mark on his chest, "We are more alike now, aren't we?"

"The process was only partially finished. You won't have the power of the Iron Fist. According to Yu-Ti's writings, you would have to come into direct contact with the Iron Fist's energy in order for you to use this ability. It is fortunate for you, Davos. If you had fully claimed its power, then you would be put to death. As this is only a partial offense... adjustments can be made."

"I could have the Iron Fist... if Daniel Rand-K'ai used it against me?," Davos strokes the marking on his chest.

"You won't get that chance! He has left K'un L'un!"

"Perhaps I'll find him. Perhaps I'll finish the rivalry as you always wanted. I never did get my victory, after all."

"You'll be trapped outside the gates for at least a decade! Davos, listen to yourself!"

"There's still time before K'un L'un leaves Earth's realm," Davos says to himself, "I can still make it through the gates."

"If this is about your punishment, I'll rewrite the laws if you like," Kei Lung briefly loses his royal dignity, "In fact, I am the only one who has seen what you've done here today. We can forget about all of this!"

"Father, you were once called Kei Lung, The Thunderer. You were a warrior worthy of K'un L'un but now look at you. You are weak. Pathetic. You are an embarassment to our heritage. Do you think I care about being locked out of K'un L'un's gates for ten years? I'll gladly never return!"

"Davos... I lost your mother long ago. Don't let me lose you as well."

"Goodbye, father."

Davos turns and leaves. Soon, he is at the front gates. The two monks standing guard quickly rush to him. "My deepest apologies my prince," one begins, "But as you know, we are not meant to leave the..." Davos angrily punches him to the ground. For good measure, he also kicks the second monk out of the way. He unlatches the gate and pulls it open. Kei Lung finally catches up to him just as he passes through the gate, "Davos! Son, come back!". Davos says nothing as he closes the gate behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

Danny climbs down the face of the mountain, the sun rising behind him. He has been climbing for hours; as he us now exhausted and bruised from his journey. His grip begins to give as a chunk of rock breaks off in his grasp. He drops down to one hand, dangling from the side over a deep chasm with the only sign of land on an outcropping far below. His other grip likewise begins to give. Upon realizing this, he quickly kicks off the side of the mountain, performing a long backflip over the chasm to the outcropping of rocks on the opposite side. He lands flat footed, the tip of the outcropping breaking away and falling several miles below.

On top of the plataeu, the city of K'un L'un disappears upon the rising of the sun, the city completely vanishing in a single glint. Somewhere down below, Davos sits on a mountain ledge, watching it disappear. Having watched his homeland literally fade away, he sets off on a new journey.

Hours later, Danny makes it to the bottom of the mountain. Bruised and tired, he looks out over the valley below which leads to a deep hill and a nearby stream. He washes his face and takes a drink from the stream, then sets up a small fire and cooks some meat over a flame. Soon, he hears a low growl. Turning, he spots a lean and hungry wolf. He does not panic but simply takes one of the two pieces of meat and throws it to the wolf who snatches it up in its jaws and quickly darts away. Danny smiles and returns to his fire.

"Daniel Rand-K'ai. Always so gracious."

Danny stands to his feet, realizing that Davos is approaching from behind. He shakes his head in disbelief before fully realizing the situation. Davos now wears a black shirt, covering his new "tattoo".

"Davos, what are you doing here?," he asks in English, "K'un L'un could disappear any minute now."

"It's already gone. I've left it behind, just as you have."

"Why? I don't understand."

"We have unfinished business. I plan to see this through to the bitter end."

"Is that what this is about? Davos, that's insane! Think about your people! Think about your father!"

"My father is a disgrace to K'un L'un."

Danny looks at him with disgust, "You're an idiot. At least your father is still alive. Do you know what I would give to have mine back?"

"In a way, I understand what you're going through. Your parents were murdered. You want to kill the man responsible. I get it. He took something from you and it is only right that you take something away from him."

"What are you getting at?"

"You took something from me as well. I intend to claim what is rightfully mine."

Davos kicks off the side of a boulder, hops on top of another one, and clears the distance with one more leap. He flies at Dany with a kick, which is blocked. Danny backs away as Davos continues to throw several punches. Danny backpeddles, blocking or deflecting each blow as he backs away. Finally, Davos lands a hit: both palms against Danny's chest. He falls onto his back and backflips onto his feet.

"Fine. There's no reasoning with you, Davos. You want a fight, then you'll have one!"

Danny performs a crane kick which Davos blocks. Danny croutches low with a leg sweep. Davos jumps over it and when he does, Danny leaps up with a palm to his gut. Davos lands, his feet dragging along the dirt before they stop. Danny does a flying kick. Davos catches his heel and throws him, forcing Danny to spin into the air before landing in order to deliver a single kick to Davos' chest. Davos falls on his back, rolling into a snakelike position. Danny steps back, waiting for the new attack which comes a second later. Davos throws himself at Danny, jabbing the tips of his fingers against his throat. Danny gasps and is blindedsided by another jab to his temple leading him to throw a wild haymaker which Davos ducks under. Danny uses the opportunity to shove his knee into his chin. Davos arches his back as he reels in pain. Danny finishes the move by bringing his foot up, slamming his heel against Davos' sternum.

The force of the kick sends Davos rolling down the hill where he finally comes to a stop near the stream. Danny shouts after him, "Are you satisfied now? Go home, Davos. If you're lucky, you might still have a home to go back to! You're already better off than me!"

"No! This fight hasn't ended yet! How sad it is that you have the Iron Fist but you are too scared to use it. Show it to me, Daniel Rand-K'ai. Let me see its power first hand!"

"You want to see it?," Danny glares at him, his fist gradually beginning to glow. Davos smiles as he watches. "You want to see the Iron Fist technique firsthand?," his fist glows brighter, "Fine. Here it is." A flare of crackling energy engulfs his fist.

Danny raises his arm as a trail of energy follows his movements. He falls to one knee, slamming his fist to the ground. A cloud of dirt and golden energy explodes, causing a minor tremor. The ground in front of him rises and falls, forming a ripple effect that travels down the hill as the tremor continues. The waves of grass and soil make a b-line straight for Davos whose eyes widen as the shockwave draws near. The ground under his feet shoots up, sending him into the air. He falls into the stream below, splashing through the shallow water. Soon, he sits up, wet, humiliated, and defeated.

"Now it's finished!," Danny packs up his gear and leaves.

Davos watches as he goes, seathing with rage.


	9. Chapter 9

It's night now. Danny passes through a forested area before coming to an outcropping. Down below, he sees a small village and a wharf with many boats docked. He makes his way down and briefly speaks to a fisherman if he could get a ride but the fisherman refuses. He tries to stop two passing sailors but they ignore him. Then he spots large fishing boat is preparing to be sent off nearby. "Where is this boat going?," one of the dock workers ask. "Hong Kong," is the reply from another worker. Danny quietly walks along the pier, waiting for the right moment. The dock workers continue in the opposite direction while, no one on the fishing boat is currently topside, so Danny quickly takes the opportunity to run and make a long leap onto the back of the boat. He checks to make sure no one saw him before wedging himself between two crates. He then pulls a tarp over himself as the boat embarks on a trip to Hong Kong.

The fishing boat makes it to a harbor the next morning. A few fisherman walk along the deck and begin to pull a tarp away from the crates. When they completely remove it, they see a sleeping Daniel Rand. The fisherman shout to their friends, startling Danny awake. Danny sits up and begins to explain himself in Mandarin, "I'm sorry. I just needed a ride back to Hong Kong. I'll try to make it up to you." Their friends arrive and quickly begin to scream at Daniel in Cantonese. "You guys don't speak Mandarin, do you?," he mutters. One of them angrily grabs a hook. "Nope," Danny leaps on top of a crate.

The fisherman with the hook brings it down, forcing Danny to lift his foot out of the way. The point of the hook stabs into the top part of the crate so Danny stomps on top of it, further shoving the hook into the crate before leaping to the bow of the boat. He sways a little, balancing himself to avoiding falling into the water. A fisherman grabs a wood pole and swings it toward his legs. Danny leaps over it, lands, and is forced to once again to regain his balance. He looks back, noticing a nearby junk boat. He somersaults along the bow, avoiding another swing before standing on the end of the boat. He makes another jump, clearing the distance before landing and rolling onto the junk boat.

Two old ladies begin to yell at him and beat him over the head. "Ah! Ow! I'm sorry!," he runs along the junk boat to a few empty boats tied together. He jumps, landing inside one. He looks back and notices the fisherman now have harpoons. "It gets better," he tells himself and ducks down as a harpoon sails over his head. He runs, hopping from one boat to another, gradually making his way toward the harbor as a few more harpoons fly by. Soon, the fishermen snarl angrily and give up. Danny eventually lands in a small water-taxi being driven by an elderly man. He smiles with the hope that the man will not attack him. The man shrugs and continues steering, making Danny sigh with relief.

Meanwhile, a taxi cab pulls up along Hong Kong Harbor. The back doors open and soon, two ladies step out. One is an African American in a red latex body suit, a red purse, and sunglasses. Her companion is a woman of Japanese and Irish decent, wearing a matching silver body suit and jacket. They stand, looking out over Hong Kong Harbor which is filled with cruise ships and floating restaurants at sea. This is Misty Knight and Colleen Wing.

"I feel stupid wearing this," Colleen complains.

"We're foreign entertainers looking for jobs in Hong Kong, Colleen," the other woman explains, "We have to look the part. It's the plan."

"Okay, let's go over this again, Misty."

"Come on!"

"No, we have to talk about this one last time. Let's go over every aspect of this thing and when we're done, we can decide if we want to walk away or not."

"I hate it when you do this. You know the plan, girl."

"And I know it's a stupid one. This is why I want to talk about it. Let's go over the whole thing and if it still sounds like a good plan, we can continue."

Misty gives her an incredulous look, "A stupid plan? You know you agreed to it."

"I agreed because I knew you would go ahead with it even if I said no. I don't want you getting killed."

"Aw, I love you too," Misty tries to give her a hug.

Colleen pushes her away, "So we're gonna talk about this, right?"

"Fine," Misty rolls her eyes then brings her phone out her purse, showing Colleen a picture of a man in a black suit, "This is Emil Vachon. He is wanted by New York authorities for drug smuggling. As private investigators, you and I were hired to get as much dirt on him as possible."

"Then we found out he was involved with Chinese Triads," Colleen explains, "And the last we heard of him, he escaped here to Hong Kong. Get to the stupid part."

"We go to Hong Kong and hire ourselves out to the local authorities to catch him over here," Misty then mutters, "Don't know what's so stupid about that."

"It is unlawful for private US agencies to persue suspected felons outside of US borders. You used to be a cop, remember?"

"Uh-huh. And Hong Kong authorities are willing to look the other way if it means catching a drug smuggler. US authorities, meanwhile, don't gotta know about this."

Colleen pouts a bit, "These suits still look stupid."

"All a part of the act. Besides, you look hot. Now let's go get ourselves a man."

Misty and Colleen ride a ferry to a large floating restaurant off Hong Kong Harbor. The restaurant has three floors without walls and very elaborate décor. The back of the restaurant is completely open, presenting a great view of the harbor. The top floor is exposed completely with no roof. They are greeted by servers in suits when the get off the ferry and are soon taken up a set of stairs to the roof of the restaurant. There, they are met with several men in matching black suits. Emil, along with a bodyguard, sits at a table and proudly welcomes them, "Ah, have a seat ladies. Make yourselves at home." Colleen gives Misty a look before sitting down.

"I hear you girls are trying to make it as entertainers here in Hong Kong," he begins.

"Yeah, it was really hard back in New York," Misty says with an overly innocent tone, "We heard a lot of Asian clubs like to hire Western girls. The pay's supposed to be pretty good."

"Well, my friends here own quite a few clubs," he motions toward the men in suits, "I think we can make arrangements."

Misty sits her purse on her lap. Inside, is a small camera, "So how much will we make?"

"That's a good question but before we get into that, I have a few of my own."

Danny rides the water taxi toward the floating restaurant. He bows politely to the driver and climbs over the railing to the porch area. The customers stare at him as he excuses himself, making his way through the tables.

Emil leans forward, "Y'see, I just got back from New York myself. I heard two female private investigators were on my trail. There was something about drugs and the Chinese Triads," Colleen and Misty glance at each other, "I come here to Hong Kong and it just so happens, only a few days later, I have two young ladies from New York asking for jobs at a club my friends own. My friends have been suspected of being Chinese Triads by the way. Funny, right?," Colleen and Misty laugh, "It just seems coincidental. Two female PI's from New York suspect me of being involved in Triads, then I come here. Then two females from New York come out of nowhere and... Anyway, you don't mind if my friends check your bags, right?"

"Be my guest," Misty smiles brightly.


	10. Chapter 10

Two triads approach the ladies as Colleen removes her jacket and Misty opens her purse. Colleen throws her jacket over her arm while the second man reaches into her purse. Soon, he has her camera in his hand which he shows off to Emil. He stands up along with his bodyguard. Colleen throws her jacket over the face of the triad standing above her. Misty, meanwhile, gives the triad a kick to the groin and as he doubles over, she snatches the camera and gives him a second kick to the chin. The triad with Colleen's jacket throws it off his face just in time for Colleen to fly into the air, kicking him in the abdomen. The man stumbles back and falls over the railing.

Three stories down, the man slams through an empty table. The customers recoil in fright. Danny stops and seemingly questions whether or not he should get involved. The servers, meanwhile, begin to whisper to each other.

Above, the triads pull various knives, nunchaku, and hatchets from their jackets. Colleen and Misty back away toward the railing. "I told you it was a stupid idea," Colleen mutters bitterly. Emil's bodyguard pulls a gun and takes aim, prompting Colleen and Misty to quickly hop onto the railing. He fires a single shot but the women drop down, grasping the rails tightly, and swing onto the second floor as the customers clear the area. On the bottom floor, the other customers scream and rush to the entrances once they hear the gunshots above them. The servers try their best to calm them down as they trample one another in an attempt to get out. Once they make it outside, they push and shove their way onto the waiting ferrys. One man ends up in the water as they crowd onto the boats.

Danny stays behind, "I probably shouldn't get involved," he tells himself as he makes his way up the steps, "Seriously, Danny. What are you doing?" Meanwhile, a few triad members drop onto the second floor while the others race down the stairs, circling Misty and Colleen once again. Above, Emil's bodyguard motions for him to wait topside until the coast is clear.

Colleen and Misty stand back to back as the Triads close in. One member stands at the stairwell to keep watch, only for a pair of hands to grab his ankles. He yelps as he is pulled under the banister and down the steps. The triads turn their attention to the stairs along with Colleen and Misty are equally curious. Daniel Rand emerges and makes his way toward the gangsters, "Come on, there are only two of them and about twenty of you guys. That's not a fair fight."

One triad angrily snatches him by the shoulder but Danny twists his arm away, grabs him by the back of his neck, then slams him face first against a table. Chaos erupts as more of the triads come after him. One swings a nunchaku at Danny, completely smashing a table in half as he steps away. Danny grabs him by the back of his jacket, spins him around, then gives him a solid kick to the sternum, sending him over the banister and down the steps. Another attacks while duel-welding knives. Danny steps back, avoiding the blades as he moves over to the ledge overlooking the bottom floor of the restaurant. He snatches both of the man's arms, headbutts him, and then delivers a kick to his chest, sending him over the ledge to the floor below.

Misty and Colleen spring into action while the Triads' attention is diverted. Misty thrusts her knee into a triad's gut before giving him a hard right hook. Colleen rushes to the wall where a prop sword is held. She flips it into the air and catches it with her opposite hand. As two triads attack, she swings the flat end of the sword back and forth, slapping it against their ears before a 180 degree kick takes them both out.

Danny ducks back as a triad swings a knife across his throat. Another comes from behind with a hatchet. Danny pivots around, tricking him into taking a swing at his own partner. Both men are forced to stop for a moment, allowing Danny the opportunity to kick one in the back, sending him flying into his friend. The knife welder is the first to recover as he angrily swings back, nearly slicing Danny open. He brings the knife down again in a stabbing motion, only for Danny to catch his wrist and twist it, forcing him to let go. He then gives him a sharp knee to the face. The triad with the axe flies after him but Danny, still holding onto the other man's arm, swings around to take him out with a hard kick. He then uses his own momentum to flip the former knife owner over his shoulder, smashing him through a table.

Another rushes at him while his back is turned, only for Misty to smash a chair over his head. Danny turns and realizes Misty's assistance, "Thanks". "Thank **you**," she replies. Two more approach from either side so they both leap in opposite directions, taking their opponents out with flying kicks.

Colleen uses her sword to deflect a knife thrust and ducks down, sweeping the legs out from under her assailant. Once he is on the ground, she uses the butt of her sword to knock him unconscious. When she stands to her feet, she spots another one swinging a pair of nunchaku around his torso threateningly. She silently stops and calmly brings the tip of her sword to the ground. Misty sneaks up behind the triad, pinning his arms over his head in a full-nelson armlock. Colleen takes the opportunity to punch him square in the face, then Misty spins him around so that he is now facing the two women. Once he is in position, they simultaneously kick him, sending him flying against a wall. Three more gather together, knives in every hand, standing in front of the ledge looking over the bottom floor of the restaurant. The ladies flip a nearby table over, grabbing it by both ends and rush them. The table slams against them hard enough that they burst through the wood banister and fall to the first floor where Misty and Colleen land on top of unconscious triads. They both take a look at one another, surprised that their attack actually worked.

The last triad flips a hatchet in his palm and then sprints across the room at Danny. Danny steps back, placing his right hand behind him. The triad steps onto a chair and leaps into the air, bringing the axe blade down in a chopping motion. Danny's fist ignites with chi energy. The man drops down with the axe just a few feet away, everything seemingly going in slow motion. Danny swings his arm, bringing the Iron Fist in direct contact with the blade of the axe as he shouts, "K'aaaiiii!". The fist pushes the blade inward as the punch connects, creating golden cracks in the metal and a milisecond later, the entire axe explodes, sending shrapnel and pieces of the metal handle in every direction. The force of the explosion sends the triad member across the room where he is bowled over chairs and tables.

Danny takes a moment to process the sight he has just witnessed, "I'm really glad that worked," he sighs as he checks his knuckles.

Emil and his bodyguard rush down the steps to the second floor. Danny only has moments to dive for cover from the bodyguard's bullets. He knocks over a table for a shield but the bullets easily punch holes through it, mere inches from his face.

The bodyguard continues to push Emil onward as they reach the bottom floor. Misty and Colleen notice the gunman and throw themselves over the bar, broken glass raining down on them from the bullets hitting the bottles above them. The two gangsters quickly make their way outside as a triad-driven speedboat and a jetski pull up to the restaurant.

Danny leaps off the balcony, landing next to the bar. Misty and Colleen poke their heads out. "That way!," Misty calls out as she points him in the right direction. Danny nods and runs along the tabletops, making his way to the front of the room in moments.

Outside, Emil is led onto the back of the speedboat along with his bodyguard. The triad driving the jetski, meanwhile, gets off and covers them with a pistol of his own. Danny leaps straight through a window behind him and by the time the triad turns around, he is hit with an uppercut that sends him into the water. Emil shouts at the driver of the speedboat, "Let's go! Let's go!", and they quickly take off. Danny hops onto the jetski and after a few moments to get acquainted with the controls, speeds after them. The speedboat races across Hong Kong Harbor with Danny following closely. Colleen and Misty make their way outside to watch the chase. Soon, the boat pulls up to a dock and the men quickly get out. Danny pulls the jetski up next to the dock as well and makes the jump. Emil is shoved into the back of a black car by his bodyguard and once the door is slammed shut, it peels out into the street. Danny races to block them off and stands in their way. "Run `im down!," Emil shouts to the driver. The car's tires squeal and it flies toward him. Misty and Colleen watch with horror as the car comes within a few feet of Danny who crouches low to the ground, summong the Iron Fist technique. His hand suddenly ignites with energy and as the car bears down on him, he slams his fist into the front end with enough force to lift it up.

The car loses its grill and bumper immediately and the hood crumples. It is thrown back onto its rearend which is likewise smashed by its own weight. From there, the car slides back several feet, shooting sparks as it grinds into the pavement. Finally, it falls back on it wheels, destroying its axels. With the car totalled and the men inside too shaken to run, Danny takes the time to catch his breath. Misty and Colleen, meanwhile, stare with jaws left hanging open.

"That isn't one of the Avengers is it?," Misty asks.

"I have no idea," Colleen responds.


	11. Chapter 11

Roughly an hour later, a police siren wails. Emil Vachon is led into the back of a squad car by a Hong Kong police officer and the door is slammed behind him. More officers lead the Triads in handcuffs to the back of a van. Misty and Colleen stroll through the gathering of cops, Misty looking much more pleased than Colleen.

"So, as I knew it would, the Hong Kong authorities have agreed to pay us and our own authorities are none the wiser," she explains.

"And, once again, we were almost killed," Colleen sneers.

"One of these days, you'll admit how fun this is," Misty throws her arm around her.

"Maybe," Colleen allows a slight smile, "So what about him?," Colleen nods in the direction of Danny who stands overlooking the harbor.

"That was really weird. How'd he do that thing with the car?"

"My grandfather used to tell me about Eastern martial artists who would train themselves to the point where they could perform supernatural feats. In the past, I didn't believe it."

"And now?"

"Well, we live in a world where aliens have invaded New York and a man can turn into a big green monster. I suppose we'll have to believe anything from now on."

"Let's go talk to him," Misty and Colleen approach Danny.

"We never got a chance to introduce ourselves. I'm Misty Knight and this is Colleen Wing. We run Knight-Wing Restorations. It's a private investigation agency in case you were wondering what we were doing, going after a drug smugler."

"Daniel Rand. Pleased to meet you both."

"Those were some moves, Mr. Rand," Colleen begins, "Where did you learn those techniques?"

"Uh... Here in Hong Kong."

"Including the thing where your fist explodes and you punch a car?," Misty asks.

"You saw that?," Danny's eyes dart back and forth.

"We sure did."

"I thought you were still inside."

"We weren't... So...?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that," Danny throws his bags over his shoulder, "At any rate, I probably need to get going."

"Where are you headed?," Colleen asks.

"New York."

"We're going to New York as well," she takes a look at Danny's clothes, which are not typical modern wear, "Do you have a way to get there?"

Danny hesistates and then speaks, "I don't have a ticket yet."

"Do you have a way to buy one?," Misty asks.

"I'll uh, have to figure that one out. I do have a passport... which is actually kind of old," a more serious expression crosses his face.

"Maybe we can help you since you helped us out quite a bit today."

Colleen leans toward Misty, "What are you doing?".

"We wouldn't have gotten Vachon if it wasn't for him," she whispers, "We owe him that much."

"But how much can we trust him?"

"We're just helping the man get home. What's the harm? Besides, he's kinda cute."

Colleen rolls her eyes, "He's not bad, I guess."

"I can hear your conversation," Danny speaks up.

"Okay, so let's get a move on it," Misty rushes Colleen away with Danny following.

In the distance, Davos watches silently.

Soon, they are farther into the city, walking down a crowded sidewalk. Davos follows from a safe distance, gazing around at the neon signs, roaring vehicles, and loud music. "This is what the outside world has become?," he grumbles. Misty and Colleen march Danny to a small restuarant, "First, let's get something to eat." Davos watches them go inside and looks around for food of his own. A fish market sits nearby. An old lady sits behind her stand, haggling with a few customers on the price of her fish. A hand slips in, retrieving a salmon without being noticed. Davos sits down in a nearby alley and begins to eat it raw.


	12. Chapter 12

That night, the girls bring Danny into a hotel room. It's a very cheap and small room with a single bed and little else. They are now wearing more conservative clothes. Danny lays his things on a bed.

"Thank you for dinner," he tells them, "I'm sorry I don't have much to give in return but when I get back to the states, hopefully, I can make it up to you."

"We'll go to the US Embassy in the morning and see what we can do about getting you home," Colleen explains, "You said you have an old passport?"

"Yes," Danny reaches into his bag and hands them his old passport, complete with a picture of him as a child.

"This passport is more than old," Colleen begins, "It's been expired for over a year now. How old were you when you got it?"

"Ten."

"Have you been in China this entire time?," Misty asks.

"My parents and I came here for vacation," Danny begins sadly, "Our plane crashed. I was the only survivor."

"Wait," Colleen takes another look at the passport, "Are you the same Daniel Rand whose parents used to own the Rand Corporation?"

"I am."

"My God! Everyone thought you were dead! You've been here this entire time?"

"In a way."

"We should get in touch with Rand-Meachum and let them know," Colleen explains.

"Rand-Meachum?," Danny rises to his feet.

"Yeah, the company's called Rand-Meachum now. Obviously someone else is the CEO these days but I'm not sure wh-"

"Howard Meachum?," Danny glares.

"I think that might be the name. Do you know him?"

Danny sits on his bed with every bit of restraint he has, "He just worked with my father. That's all."

"So do you want us to contact them? I'm sure they would love to hear from you," Misty asks.

"No, let's just... focus on getting back for now."

"Really? You don't want to let them know you're alive."

"It can wait," he says finally.

Misty and Colleen give each other a look and begin to leave. "Well, get some rest," Misty tells him, "We'll be leaving in the morning." "Thank you," Danny says politely as he gets ready for bed. As Colleen closes the door, she catches a glance at Danny removing his shirt and notices the large dragon figure running down his chest.

Later, Misty and Colleen are back in their own hotel room. Misty comes out of the bathroom in a robe while Colleen is on her laptop. "So what do you think?," Misty asks as she looms over her shoulder.

Colleen briefly looks up from her monitor, "When we left Danny's room, I watched him take off his shirt."

"I'm sure you did," Misty says with a smirk.

Colleen ignores the remark and holds up a piece of paper with the hand drawn dragon tattoo on it, "He had this marking on his chest. I'm trying to do some research but I'm finding nothing."

"So what, you think he's some kind of gangster?"

"The tattoo doesn't look like a typical yakuza or triad symbol. I'm not sure what it is but I know he's hiding something."

"I think you're right," Misty agrees, "But I don't think he's dangerous. He's a little niave, yet there's something really dark about him. He's haunted by something."

"Of course. He lost his parents as a child and was abandoned. He's been through a lot. I disagree on one thing, though. He is dangerous... just not to us."

"How do you figure?"

"However he obtained his skills and power... he had to be doing so for a purpose. We just need to know what his mission is."


	13. Chapter 13

The US Embassy the next morning. Danny comes through the main entrance with Colleen and Misty in tow, now wearing a t-shirt and jeans. "You look less noticable," Misty tells him. Danny smiles, "Y'know, I can't remember the last time I wore sneakers." They make their way to the desk where a young woman waits, "Can I help you?". Misty holds up Danny's expired passport, "Yeah, my friend has been stranded in China for about tens years and wants to go back home. You think you can help us out?"

Several minutes later, they are in a private room with an immigration officer. He looks over the passport and eyes Danny. "Well, the passport is legitimate and the social security number you gave us checks out," he begins, "But we still need to varify you are who you say you are."

"That's the only form of identification I have anymore," Danny pleads, "I can tell you our street address, the name of my school,... everything."

"I'll have to check with my supervisors back in the states, I'm sorry. Daniel Rand was legally declared dead ten years ago. Needless to say, that makes things difficult."

"What about a DNA test?," Misty asks.

"Certainly, a DNA match could go a long way in proving Mr. Rand is who he says he is."

"Danny, did you ever give blood?"

"Yes, we donated all the time for charity."

"Blood donations are only kept for a little over a month," Colleen informs them.

"He'll still have plenty of medical records, blood charts and things like that. This can still work."

"I'll have to clear this with Immigration but I don't see this being too much of a problem," the officer tells them.

"We're getting you home," Misty turns to Danny with a smile.

Later that day, as the sun sets, Danny stands on the roof of his hotel, wearing his brown pants and shirt. He has his eyes closed as he practices various stances. From the stairwell, Colleen watches him with intrest. Danny stands on one foot, strikes, then slows down to take another stance, breathing deeply. Soon, she is joined by Misty.

"His stance and technique is very interesting," Colleen tells her, "It's certainly Eastern based but still unlike anything I have ever studied. It almost seems... archiaic. It's really fascinating watching him. He has perfect form."

"Yeah, I didn't notice his firm ass either," Misty responds.

"You need to get out more."

"I know."

Colleen approaches Danny. "Could you teach me that technique?," she asks him. "Sure," he responds. He takes a stance and she mirrors it. Together, they slowly go through the motions of a single strike. Misty watches with a somewhat bittersweet smile before leaving the roof.

Danny takes another stance and has Colleen mirror him. When she does so, he stops, gently taking her hand as he walks behind her, making sure her arm is held at a higher position. She allows this as he keeps his arms around her to make sure she is in the right position. "So how was your training?," she asks.

"It was Hell for a rich white kid from New York," Danny laughs as he lets her go and stands alongside her, "I mostly just knew martial arts from comics and movies. Still, I was more or less cut off from the outside world. I had no other place to go so I knew I had to make the best of things... kick, then follow it up with a punch."

In unison, they punch and kick, "Did you have anyone to help you along?"

"There were only two people who spoke English. My head teacher who essentially raised me during this time and his son. His son hates me."

"What sort of exercise did you do?"

"Balancing on bamboo poles, being stretched out with ropes, punching stone pillars. The usual."

"That's not all that usual."

"It's not?"

"No. Not for centuries."

"How did you learn martial arts?"

"My grandfather's dojo. We just hit dummies."

"I guess my teachers were old fashioned," he exits the roof, leaving a perplexed Colleen.


	14. Chapter 14

Davos stands outside Danny's hotel, waiting patiently for him to come out. As he stands, a small group of people pass by and take a look at his clothes with scornful glances. It's then that he notices his K'un L'un attire makes him stand out more. He surveys his surrounding in a quest to rectify this, eventually noticing a gang of young men across the street. They talk loudly, smoke, drink, and sit on a collection of high speed scooters. Their clothes are garish but they'll do. He makes his way across the street and stands before the group of men.

"The hell you want?"," one of the young men asks in Cantonese, "Nice clothes, man! You just walk off the set of a kung-fu movie?" The men burst into laughter and one even flicks a cigarette at Davos. He says nothing. Instead, he glances down at the nearest scooter, raises a single foot, and promptly kicks it over, hoping for the proper reaction. He gets it. The men jump to their feet, their eyes burning with rage. Davos simply turns and walks into a nearby alley. The men quickly follow, blocking off the end of the alley, "Hey, asshole!," the leader shouts. Davos stops and calmly turns around. The leader is the first to attack, racing down the length of the alley and hurling himself into a flying kick. His ankle is caught mid-air and he is forced to the ground where the back of his head meets the pavement. The rest of the gang attacks, roaring in anger. Davos strikes one and then another. A third manages to throw a punch but doesn't not hit his target. Instead, his momentum is used against him as he thrown headlong into the side of a dumpster. The final gang member grabs a nearby 2x4 and charges. He takes a swing bu Davos strikes the board, easily breaking it in half, then brings the end of his foot into the man's chin. The leader rises behind Davos with a menacing glare but he quickly backhands him and he is once again brought down. Davos searches the unconscious men below him, finding the most incospicuous pieces of clothing. Moments later, he emerges from the alley, sporting a simple white t-shirt, jeans, and a jacket.

At the Rand-Meachum headquarters in New York, Howard Meachum stands at the front of a board room, addressing the chairmen of the company. He begins to go over the business of the day when a secretary enters the room, "Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Meachum, but there's an urgent..."

"It can't be urgent enough to interrupt a board meeting," he sneers.

"It's from the US Immigration Department," she continues.

"What the hell do they want with us?"

"They are asking for the release of Daniel Rand's medical documents. They understand that the insurance company can only release that information through you."

"Essentially that's true, but why does the Immigration Department want records of a kid who's been dead for years?"

"Well, sir,... it would appear someone claiming to be Daniel Rand is in China and he's trying to reenter the United States."

Meachum's eyes go wide. The boardmembers immediately begin talking amongst themselves. Meachum excuses himself, "Gentlemen, I think you'll understand if we continue this meeting at another time. Thank you." He quickly rushes out of the room, followed by his secretary.

In Hong Kong, a needle is inserted into Danny's arm. The doctor takes a blood sample and places a bandage on his arm. He comes out of the doctor's office a few minutes later where Colleen and Misty await. "I guess that's it. They have their blood sample so it's only a matter of time," he tells them.

Misty and Colleen hug him, "We have some more good news," Misty tells him, "We just got a call from the Embassy. Apparently, the CEO of Rand-Meachum found out about this. He has personally arranged for a meeting with you."

Danny takes a step back, "Howard Meachum knows about me?".

"If you're a positive match, he has agreed to pay your airfare and hotel accomodations back to New York," Colleen continues.

"How did he know?," Danny almost shouts.

There's an awkward silence and then, "You - you belong to Rand-Meachum's insurance company under your father's name. This guy Meachum is now the owner so apparently he inherited the rights to release that information."

"And he knows I'm coming to New York?"

"What's wrong, Danny?," Misty asks, "We thought you'd be happy. You're going home."

"I wanted to get back quietly."

"We know. It looks like that wasn't an option. We're sorry."

"You tried your best," Danny begins to leave, somewhat bitter, "Thank you for assisting me this far but I think it's best that I go alone from here on out. Have a safe trip back to New York."

"Danny, wait," Misty calls after him but he angrily leaves the hospital.

In his room, Daniel meditates silently, wearing only the bottom portion of his green gi. He breathes deeply, trying his best to recall the past. _Ten years ago, he and his family had their bags packed and were ready to leave on their private plane. The airfield is a small one, suitable for private flights. The head technician and Howard Meachum shake hands. A young Daniel Rand looks past the two men and notices a sign in the distance: "Chun-Young Air Field"._

Danny's eyes snap open. He quickly looks in a directory and finds the name and address for Chun-Young Airfield. He opens a map and finds the location, circling it with a red pen. "Chun-Young Air Field," he says aloud.

A few moments later, he leaves his room with a bag slung over his shoulder. Once he leaves his front door, Misty and Colleen peer around the corner and follow.


	15. Chapter 15

Chun-Young Air Field hasn't changed much in 10 years. It's small with a single landing strip for private jets and a few trucs and other vehicles going about their business. It's night time now, giving Danny plenty of coverage. He runs onto the airfield and ducks behind a few crates. He now wears his K'un L'un gi and mask with the front pulled back to show the mark of Shao-Lao on his chest. He peaks over the crates, spotting a group of technitians smoking cigarettes outside a work shed. He spots the head technitian, and quickly remembers _the same man taking money from Howard Meachum_. He is older now but still recognizable. The men drop their cigarettes, stmap them out, and retire back to the shed.

The go to their workstations amidst machinery and various tools. Moments later, the front door is kicked open, prompting them all to turn to their attention to the figure entering the doorway. Danny Rand strolls into the room, stopping mid-way.

"What's this?," the head technitian scoffs in accented English, "Did you just come back from a costume party?"

"Ten years ago, you took money from a man," Danny begins.

"I take money from men all the time. Get the hell out of here!"

"This money was given to you so that you and your men could sabotage a plane. You were meant to kill three people... you only killed two."

The technitian shouts ot his men in Cantonese, "Get him out of here!".

The men grab hammers, wrenches, and at least one sharpened screw driver from the work benches around them. They crowd around him but Danny doesn't move. The one with a wrench comes in from behind but hits nothing as his target ducks down. Danny stands back up, kicking a tool stand across the floor into the guts of two attacking foes. He throws his elbow back, connecting it across the bridge of the man's nose. A technitian grabs a broomstick and swings. Danny ducks under it and moves forward through the room. A man comes at him with a hammer but he deflects the attack and hurls the man onto a work bench, knocking over a toolbox in the process. He then rolls sideways over a pieces of machinery, landing on the opposite side as another technitian comes at him with a sharpened screwdriver. He leaps back to avoid being stabbed and brings the heel of his foot against his forehead. The man with the broomstick comes at him from behind while another one grabs a chain and swings it around. Danny leapfrogs back over the piece of machinery and lands in front of the head technitian who backs away nervously. A chain is swung between the two men, forcing him to step back. The one with the broomstick attempts to club him over his head but he reaches up, catching the weapon with his palms. The chain comes at him again, so he pulls the stick down, allowing the chain to wrap itself around the end. He flips the stick out of the man's grasp, twirls it over his head and slams it to the ground, releasing the chain. He then spins the stick around his shoulders, across his chest and then slaps it across both men's faces with one swing. Once his foes are defeated, he tosses the stick to the side and searches the room for the head technitian. Once he realizes he's gone, he curses under his breath and sprints out the door.

Once outside, he notices the man racing across the airfield. He runs after him and as he does so, the man turns back to see his persurer quickly gaining on him. He panics, running harder without looking ahead. Suddenly, headlights shine on him and he hears the sound of a truck horn just before impact. Danny stops running once he notices the man is now dead on the pavement in front of a truck. The driver and passenger quickly get out to check on the man, then look off itno the distance to see what he was running from. No one is there.

Danny runs behind the hangar and removes his mask, shoving it into the bag he had stashed. "Wanna tell us what's going on?," he hears a voice say. Colleen and Misty approach him as he spin around.

"This has nothing to do with you anymore."

"You sure about that?," Misty scolds him, "We've been helping you so far even though you've been hiding a lot form us. Now that you've just chased a man to his death, we deserve some answers!"

"You're right," he says finally, "I'll tell you everything you need to know."

Later, back at the hotel, Danny finishes his story as Misty and Colleen sit on his bed, listening. "... And then I met the two of you," he says as he wraps up.

"Wow. Disappearing cities, dragons... It's a lot to soak in," Misty exclaims.

"And you're sure Meachum was the one responsible for your parents' deaths?," Colleen asks.

"I'm sure. Now that he knows I'm still alive, I think he wants me in New York as quickly as possible to keep an eye on me."

"Well, we got our eyes on you," Misty tells him, "Danny, revenge will get you nowhere! Trust me. This is a path you don't want to take."

"It's all I have left."

"You have plenty left! What about your parents? They wanted you to have that company, right? You kill Meachum and it's not gonna happen."

"I suppose."

"You're lucky you didn't get the chance to go too far tonight as it is. Even luckier that we found you so we could talk some sense into you. Right, Colleen."

"Actually, I see where he's coming from."

"What?"

"It's his way, not ours."

"Thank you," he tells her.

"I don't believe this. You're the one who's always by the books."

"I am. When it comes to our own laws. Danny was raised in a culture we couldn't understand. It's his choice to make. He can live with the consequences."

"Listen, Danny," Misty brushes her off, "I have friends on the force. We can help bring Meachum to justice."

"He's wealthy. Powerful. What if it's not enough."

"Then at least you can get your parents' company back and preserve their legacy. If you kill this man, you'll be on the run for the rest fo your life. All the hard work your parents went through will be in the hands of someone else. Do you want that to happen?"

"No... Not exactly."

"No matter what, we're with you, Danny," Colleen tells him, "We got this far already."

"Come back with us. Try to restrain yourself just for a while until we can figure out a better plan that doesn't involve you kicking down someone's door and murdering them in cold blood."

Danny nods, "I'll come with you. I'll try to figure this out... Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now get some rest. We got a plane to catch in the morning."


	16. Chapter 16

Howard Meachum enters a room with the Board of Directors sit. "You wanted to see me, gentlemen?". He flashes a smile and sits down.

"I think you know what this is about, Meachum," the Chairman explains, "A man claiming to be Daniel Rand is on his way here."

"We, uh, don't know for sure it's Daniel Rand," Meachum stutters, "Obviously, I agreed to have him flown in just to see if... you know... he is who he says he is. We need to make sure this is the real Daniel Rand we're dealing with because... because he could be someone looking for fame... or money... or-."

"We've received word that his blood test is an exact match," another board member explains, "As surreal as this might sound, Daniel Rand is not dead and he has returned. We have no idea what he has been up to this entire time but he's back. We don't know what that means for the company yet."

"What do you mean? As we all know, Wendel Rand's will stipulated that the company would turn over to Danny when he was old enough but there are statute of limitations here, right? Daniel Rand is still legally dead, after all," Meachum becomes somewhat nervous.

"Sure," the chairman continues, "We can't just give him our jobs but the fact of the matter is, he will now have a stake in the company once he gets everything cleared. He is an automatic share holder and, if he chose do so, could very well have a seat on this board. It might change the way we do business."

"C'mon," Meachum's demeanor begins to change, "The kid has been wondering around the Chinese wilderness or whatever for ten years. What does he know about running the company? Look, if it really is Danny, and I don't know about the rest of you but I think it's good to remain skeptical, we can't afford to let him have a say in the direction of Rand-Meachum."

"Don't get paranoid, Meachum. At best he might have a seat on the board as little more than a figurehead. Chances are, he'll probably be satisfied just having a few shares. You're still the CEO and you still make more money than anyone in this room," this illicits a few chuckles.

"I'm not paranoid, I'm just... cautious."

"About what?," another board member asks.

"If this is the real Daniel Rand, we can't be sure of his state of mind at this point. Who knows what he's seen during his time. He might have some... strange ideas."

"For someone who agreed to fly him over, you sure sound nervous of him. It's Daniel Rand. It's Wendel and Heather's kid. When he gets here, we'll see what he wants."

"We sure as hell can't shut him out or the media would eat us alive," another board member explains.

"Hey, I'm just as excited as the rest of you," the fake smiles flashes across Howard's face again, "All I'm saying is, let's take him with a grain of salt."

Danny, Misty, and Colleen wait in line to go through customs at Hong Kong International Airport. A man in a cap silently watches them and turns, revealing the face of Davos.

Davos checks the flights for New York and their gates, then leaves the airport. He soon hops over a fence and sneaks onto the airstrip. He finds an American plane at the right gate. Inside, Danny, Colleen, and Misty get on board the plane. He hides when a group of workers pass by and quickly races toward the plane once they pass. Making sure he isn't seen, he quickly jumps onto one of the rear wheels of the plane and climbs up the landing gears, eventually nestling himself inside the wheel-well where he sits patiently.

Later, the plane is in flight. Danny sits next to Misty and a napping Colleen.

"So does this Iron Fist technique hurt at all?," she asks.

"Surprisingly, no. I'm still learning how it works. I think there's more to it than just punching things really hard."

"It's good to know there's more to you than punching things really hard."

"What about you?," Danny asks, "I know you can throw a punch but there's probably more to you than that," she laughs a little at this remark, "You're young but you went from being a police officer to being a private detective in a short amount of time."

"Growing up in my neighborhood, it was common to see other kids getting involved with the wrong crowd, doing things they have no business doing. I wanted to help. I knew I could make a difference in preventing future generations from making a lot of the same mistakes."

"So you became a police officer."

"Yeah. I went into the academy right after school," a bittersweet smiles crosses her face, "After I became an officer, I met a guy. He was a little older and had a family from a previous marriage but I liked him," she becomes sadder, "He was a good cop. He wasn't afraid to fight the mob."

"He was the man who lost his family?"

Misty nods, "After the mob took his children and his ex-wife, I tried my best to console him. I wanted to save him. I wanted to stop him from making some life-changing mistakes like some of the kids I grew up with. In the end, I lost him. I left the force and started Knight-Wing Restorations with Colleen after that."

"I'm sorry. Now I see why it's so important for you to persuade me from making my decision."

"I guess I'm a sucker for hard-luck stories."

"It's a good quality to have. Thank you for telling me your story."

"Well, Colleen and I sort of forced you to tell us yours so, it was the right thing to do."

"I'm glad you told me."

The plane flies on into the night.


	17. Chapter 17

The next day, the plane comes in for a landing at JFK Airport. The landing gears open as Davos holds on tightly. Once the tires touch down, he jerks around, still holding on as the plane slows down. Once it does so, he quickly drops, tucking and rolling along the tarmat. Once on the ground, he quickly slips away.

Inside, Colleen and Misty sleep under a single blanket while the lean on one another. Danny, meanwhile sleeps while slouched against the window. Once the plane lands, the shaking of the cabin awakens them. As they exit the plane, an officer greets Danny, "Mr. Rand?". "Yes," he replies. "I'm with Immigration. If you'd like to come with me, I'll take you through customs." An hour later, the three of them emerge from baggage claims and are greeted by a limo driver holding a sign for Daniel Rand.

"What's this?," Danny asks him. "Compliments of Rand-Meachum," the driver informs him, "I'll be taking you to your hotel." Danny turns and looks at Colleen and Misty. They nod, urging him to take the ride. Soon, they step out of the limo, standing in front of a swank hotel.

"So how does it feel to be back in New York?," Colleen asks him.

"It feels great. Thank you both very much."

"We'll help you get settled in," Misty tells him, "Then later, maybe we can show you the office."

"I'd like that."

The limo driver remains in his car, making a phone call. Howard Meachum picks up, "Yeah?". "He's here, sir," the driver tells him. "Make sure he's here in the morning by 10:00 AM sharp," Meachum lays his phone on his desk and nervously gazes out his window.

Knight-Wing Restorations ltd. is located in an office building in Manhatten. The office is just big enough to include two desks facing one another. One side is cluttered with paperwork and the other side is neat and tidy with a samurai sword hanging above the chair.

"I think I know which side is Colleen's," Danny jokes.

Colleen smiles and takes the sword off the wall, "It's been in my family for generations."

"So you're Japanese?"

"Half. My father's American."

"Any good with this thing?," Danny handles the sword.

"I know how to use it," she unsheathes the blade, leaving the sheathe in Danny's hands, "It's still pretty sharp. How about you? Did you learn how to use a sword in K'un L'un?"

"I can handle some weapons but in K'un L'un, we were taught to be living weapons."

"Just like the old kung-fu movies?," Colleen laughs.

"Yeah. Who knew?"

Misty looks a bit nervous and interrupts, "You must be exhausted, Danny. You have a big day tomorrow so why don't you get some rest?"

"Yeah," Danny becomes serious, "I'll finally see Howard Meachum after all this time. I'm not sure if I can contain myself."

Misty places her hands on his chest, "I know you can. I know because I know you're a good man. Just think of your parents. I'll come by to see how you're doing."

"Thank you."

Misty kisses him on his cheek. He smiles at them and leaves the office.

"You got it bad, huh?," Colleen asks her.

"Yep," Misty responds.

"I understand," she tells her thoughtfully.


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning, Danny stands in his new hotel room, now in a white button down shirt and some black slacks. He has his back turned as he figits before he hears the knock at the door, "Come in". Misty pokes her head in the room, "How's it going?". Danny turns, revealing an awkwardly knotted necktie, "I've never actually worn one of these things before." Misty smiles and approaches, "That's adorable. C'mere," then begins to fix it.

"It doesn't help that my emotions are running wild. I'm completely unbalanced right now," he admits.

"You'll be fine," Misty continues to fix his tie, "Just keep your cool. If you kill Meachum in front of a group of reporters and businessmen, that's not doing anyone any good."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"When you confront him, make sure you don't put yourself in danger at the same time. I need you to keep safe."

"I'm already safe. I have you to thank. If it wasn't for you, I'd probably already have made some stupid choices."

"Yeah... you're right," Misty finishes his tie, "You're all set."

She rests her hands on his chest. He looks her in the eyes and she returns the gaze. They stand silent for a moment until Danny leans in, kissing her on the lips. She returns the kiss as he fully embraces her.

"Is that another first?," she asks once she pulls away.

"Honestly... yeah," Danny looks embarrassed, "There are few opportunities when you're trapped in another dimension during puberty."

"It's fine. Everything... was fine."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

They stare at each other for a few more moments until Misty blurts out, "We gotta go."

They arrive at the Rand-Meachum building roughly an hour later. Two double doors made of glass open, allowing Danny and Misty through. Danny is greeted by a score of flashing cameras from reporters and everyone in upper management in Rand- Meachum who smile as they approach him. He returns the smile and shakes their hands.

"Danny, I haven't seen you since you were a boy," one of them tells him, "Do you remember me?"

"Of course I do, Mr. Wein."

"It's good to see you again, Daniel," another tells him.

"Thank you, sir."

Davos walks among the crowd, wearing a hat and coat as he watches while the reporters swarm the figure in the middle of the room. As Danny turns, he spots Howard Meachum approaching from a distance. His smile fades and Misty looks at him nervously.

He pushes his way forward, staring Meachum in the eyes. Meachum stops dead in his tracks as everyone around them backs away slowly. Danny grits his teeth and clenches his fist, summoning the Iron Fist with enough force that it vaporizes his sleeve. He launches himself itno the air with a roar of hateful rage. Meachum raises his hands defensively and cowers down while Danny drops down from above, bringing his fist toward his prey and...

He snaps to attention; still standing in the lobby of the Rand-Meachum building with his suit is still in one piece. The reporters and business men still surround him as Howard Meachum approaches with a bright smile. He extends his hand in a friendly manner, "Hello, Daniel. It's been far too long." Misty slips her hand into his, holding it tightly. Danny, still not smiling, extends his own hand and shakes Howard's, "Mr. Meachum."

"Please, call me Howard," Meachum smiles and puts an arm around Danny. He turns, smiling for the cameras which go off some more. Danny remains, frozen in a barely concealed rage.

"I was so sorry when I heard about you and your parents," Howard tells him, "I'm glad there's at least one member of the Rand family still around."

"I miss my parents too," he growls in a low voice.

"Mr. Rand, how does it feel to be back in New York?," one of the resporters asks.

"It's different," he quickly answers.

"So where have you been?," another asks.

"China," he quickly responds.

"What will be your role in Rand-Meachum?"

"I... don't know."

"We'll definetely get to all of your questions at a later date," Meachum tells the reporters, "Just give us some space, huh, fellas?"

Danny quickly turns to him, "Why don't we talk in your office? Alone."

Meachum's eyes widen but his smile does not fade, "Yeah, we can do that."

Meachum leads Danny away, "Just a moment, gentlemen," he tells the board as they approach. Misty watches with a terrified expression but Danny turns back, nodding to her with assurance. She nods back, satisfied.


	19. Chapter 19

They arrive in Meachum's office, moments later. It's a very spacious office with a large oak desk and a receptionist area outside. Meachum carefully glides to the other side of the desk with Danny facing him. He smiles and motions to the minibar at the opposite end of the room, "Care for a drink?".

"I don't drink," Danny paces in front the desk.

"Like I said before, I miss your parents so much. I was beside myself for days when I heard you had disappeared. Oh, and listen, the company has decided to give you a decent share. You don't have to worry about anything. Just take it easy. Your old home is no longer available, sadly, but I can personally rent out a nice condo in Queens. We don't have to settle for Queens, though. It can really be anywhere you like. Even Europe. You're young. You can live it up. The point is, the company can take care of you and you don't have to -"

"You killed my parents."

Meachum stops and stares, completely motionless.

"You were the vice-president of Rand Corps that wasn't enough for you, was it? You wanted more. Money. Power. It was all yours and all you needed to do was bribe some thugs to sabotage a private jet. No one would know."

Meachum continues to stare, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

"As for me, I know why you brought me to New York. I was too big of a problem to ignore. You needed to make sure I was still alive and if so, you needed to keep an eye on me."

Meachum swallows hard, his finger inching toward the phone on his desk.

"So... what do you have to say for yourself you mudering son of a bitch?"

Meachum presses a button for the intercom, still not taking his eyes off Danny. "Yes, Mr. Meachum?," his secretary answers. Meachum, sweaty and still not blinking, dryly says, "Could you send security in here, please?".

As if stationed only a few feet from the door, two men in suits quickly enter and stand behind Danny. He takes a look at them and glares at Meachum. Howard clears his throat, "Uh, Mr. Rand has had a very exciting day. He's a bit tired and would like to return to his hotel. Could one of you escort him back to his limo?"

A security guard places his hand on Danny's shoulder. He angrily cocks his head toward the man but takes no action. "Please come with me, sir," he asks. Danny glares at Meachum who averts his eyes. Calmly, he exits the room with the security guard while the other stays behind. Meachum quickly pulls him to the side, "Someone needs to pay him a visit. Make it happen." He nods and leaves the room.

Outside, Misty waits for Danny whocomes out while the guard stands at the door, watching. Misty rushes to him but he waves her off.

"Danny?"

"I can't right now, Misty."

"No, Danny, talk to me."

He quickly turns to her, "I will. I can't now because... I'm not able to," he backs away, "I need time to think. I need time to meditate. Come to my room later tonight." She nods and lets him go.

Back in his office, Howard Meachum pours himself a glass of scotch with shakey hands. His door opens and Davos suddenly appears in the room. Meachum nearly chokes on his drink, "Geez, where the Hell did you come from?". His secretary pokes her head in the room, "I'm sorry, sir. He just came right in. Would you like me to get security back in here?".

"No, I want you to get a mariachi band in here. Yes, get security up here now!"

"It's about Daniel Rand," Davos says casually as he gazes out the window.

"Uh, Betty?," she comes back into the room, "Nevermind. It's fine," she leaves them alone.

Meachum circles around the room while Davos approaches the minibar, "Who are you?".

"Davos, the Steel Serpent. Son of Kei Lung the Thunderer," he takes the bottle of scotch and sniffs it, "I grew up with Daniel Rand-K'ai. We trained together in the city of K'un L'ung."

"K'un L'ung? Never heard of it."

"Of course not," Davos takes a drink directly from the bottle of scotch, "There are many things you don't know."

"Such as?"

"Daniel Rand-K'ai is one of the most well-trained men on the planet. Do you think a man would directly confront his parents' killer unless he had the means to destroy him?," he sets the bottle down, "You need my assistance."

"Really?"

"I can protect you."

"You don't get to be where I am today without connections. My men are highly trained and heavily armed. I have protection."

"It won't be nearly enough," Davos sits in the chair across from his desk.

"So let's say I accept your help. What do you get in return?"

"I get to personally kill Daniel Rand-K'ai myself."

"That's it?"

"It's all I want."

"No money? Nothing?"

"I don't care about the materials of the Earth. His death is all I live for now," he gets up, "Still, if you decline, I understand. Seems odd that a man in your position would take his chances but I can see why you might not care for the help of a stranger."

"Wait... Let's talk futher."


	20. Chapter 20

That night, Danny meditates alone in his room with the lights off and several candles lit in a circle on the floor around him. He breathes heavily as he attempts to calm himself. Outside his room, a man in a stocking mask creeps up to the door. He checks to make sure the hall is empty before taking a pin to pick the lock. Inside the room, Daniel's eyes open as he hears the faint sound of the door being unlocked. A moment later, the candles are blown out. The masked man opens the door slowly, noticing the room is now pitch black. He silently leans in, only for a foot to strike him in the face. He begins to spill out into the hall but a hand shoots out of the door and pulls him back inside. Daniel angrily hurls the man into the air where he hits the wall hard enough to cave it in slightly. The masked man hits the floor and is seiged by Danny a second later; pulling him up and throwing him to another part of the room.

In the hall outside, Misty Knight approaches and stops once she hears something break inside. "Danny," she mutters and quickly races to the room.

Inside, Danny rushes the barely-conscious masked man toward the window where he smashes him head first through the glass, several stories above the street below. He nearly falls but Danny holds on tightly with one hand, allowing him to dangle over the long drop. "No, no!," the masked man screams, "I'm sorry. Don't do it, man!".

Misty comes into the room just in time. "Danny, no!," she screams and runs to him. He pulls the man back inside and drops him on the carpet.

"Who sent you?," he shouts.

"Danny, listen to me -," Misty begins.

"WHO?"

"I-I-I don't know...," the man pleads as he removes the mask, "The guy worked for someone else. Said he wanted me to come here and shake you up. Tell you to stop getting ideas. That's all I know!"

"Meachum," Danny sneers and begins to get his things in preparation.

"Danny, don't go over there," Misty pleads with him, "We can take this guy to the cops. He can lead us back to Meachum."

"I can't wait that long."

"I have friends on the force. We can..."

"I'm sorry," he holds her tightly, "It has gone far enough. Get the authorities involved if you must but I will make sure this ends tonight."

She tries to speak but he kisses her. Tears begin to well up in her eyes. But he simply turns away, bag flung over his shoulder, and disappears down the hall.

Rand-Meachum is silent. Most of the lights have been turned off. The long stretch of steps leading up to the front entrance soon have a shadow cast over them. Danny, once again in his green gi and yellow mask, marches up the steps with calm fury. A row of five men in black kevlar step out from behind the twin pillars at the top of the steps, lining up in front of the glass doors. "That's far enough, Cobra Kai," the lead guard calls out, "You ain't getting through us and you ain't getting through the chain." He motions toward the metal chain and lock holding the door shut. Undaunted, Danny continues to walk up the steps until he is facing the guards. His fist balls up, cracking every knuckle. "What, you gonna hit us?," the guard taps his kevlar vest, "Go ahead, champ. Take your best shot." Danny's fist ignites in a glow of energy as he summons the Iron Fist. The guards have only a moment to notice this. Inside the lobby, there's a brief flash of light, followed by the guards flying through the glass doors, completely obliterating the frames. They fall and roll along the marble floor amongst broken glass, their vests protecting them from serious harm but not stopping them from being rendered unconscious.

The lobby is dark with only the exit lights remaining. As Danny calmly enters the building, a figure emerges from around a column with a semi-automatic gun. Danny sprints across the lobby as the guard opens fire, spraying bullets all around until he finally makes it to the receptionist desk and dives over the side. Three more armed guards emerge from behind columns and cautiously make their way to the front desk. Two go around to either side, stations himself in front, and the fourth stays behind with his gun trained on the desk. The front guard peers over the desk only to have a figure roll over the top, slamming both heels against his chest. Danny lands on top of him and sommersaults off as the rear guard opens fire. He stays low and makes it to a hallway where the elevators are located where he quickly presses a button, opening one of the doors. Following in formation, the guards round the corner in time to see the doors closing. One of them quickly shoves the barrel of his gun into the elevator, making the doors reopen. They quickly raise their weapons, only to find no sign of their target.

Above them, Danny presses his palms against one side of the hall and his feet against the other side, supporting himself above them. He drops, taking a guard out, then slams his shoulder against the chest of another guard, throwing him into the open elevator, quickly following him in just before the doors close once more. A hand slaps the button for the top floor.

The elevator rises with both men inside. The guard takes a baton from his belt and extends it with a flip of his wrist. He brings it down but ends up striking the opposite wall of the elevator, creating a large dent. The second attack is blocked at his forearm and elbow. Danny grabs him by the vest, and throws him against the opposite wall. The guard comes at him again but Danny jumps, grabbing the tiles on the ceiling of the elevator, and kicks with both feet. The guard's head bounces off the side of the elevator and he is out cold.

Once the elevator reaches one of the top floors, he gets out, only for the next elevator to open as the other guards rush out. He runs toward a cubicle area with glass walls which are shattered by bullets by the time he reaches them. He flips over a cubicle, disappearing within the rows. The guards silently signal for one another to enter the maze of desks and monitors from different points. They quietly move from one area to the next, checking every work station.

One guard raises his gun, strafing left and right as he goes. Suddenly, a cubicle is knocked down. He turns, witnessing several more tumbling down like dominoes. They quickly move to the area once they all witness the commotion. As he runs, a hand reaches out, close-lining him. He hits the ground and is quickly dragged behind another cubicle. His three remaining partners race between work stations before meeting in one aisle. They pause for a moment, giving signals to silently communicate.

Someone politely clears his throat and they turn their attention to the rear. Danny sprints toward them. They raise their guns but before they can fire, he slides along the tile floor. He hits the legs out from under one of the guards, dropping him to the ground before he comes to a stop in front of the other. He lowers his gun at nearly point blank range but Danny shoots to his feet, grabbing the barrel. He shoves the butt of the gun into his stomach then brings it up against his chin. Stunned, he stumbles back, allowing Danny to take him out with the butt of his own rifle. The guard behind him tries to take a shot, but Danny brings the gun around like a club, knocking it out of his hands. The guard on the ground slings his gun over his shoulder and attacks with a right hook which Danny slips under, pivoting in between the two men. From there, they attack whith Danny in the middle.

They both punch and a kick, but Danny blocks the attacks vigorously. He slams his palm against the kevlar chest of one guard, putting some distance between them, then ducks as the second guard takes another swing. He springs back on his palms, kicking the first guard in the face as he advances. The force of the kick practically throws the man into a backflip where he hits the ground in an unconscious heap. Danny rolls onto his back, past the second guard and pops back up onto his feet. The guard takes no chances and goes for his gun, only for Danny to spin into a roundhouse kick, taking him down.

With all distractions disposed of, Danny continues on his way to find Howard Meachum.


	21. Chapter 21

The masked man who had broken into Danny's hotel sits in an interrogation room across from a police detective. Behind the two-way mirror, Colleen and Misty watch the interview along with other officers. "From what the guys have gathered, one of Meachum's security guards hired him," Misty explains, "I can pull some strings here and get an investigation going." "Where's Danny now?," Colleen asks.

Danny passes through the wide reception area, making his way to Howard Meachum's office. In a state of tranquil fury, he moves past the large reception desk and opens the door. As he comes into the spacious office, he sees Howard's chair turned, facing the window. "Meachum," Danny approaches carefully. The chair swivels around, revealing Davos, now decked out in a black and purple gi similar to his own except that his gi is closed in the front, "Hello, Daniel Rand-K'ai."

Danny steps back as Davos hops over the desk, landing in front of him. He shakes his head in disbelief, "Davos, you followed me all the way to New York? Is this pointless rivalry really that important to you?" The two rivals begin to circle one another.

"I plan to see this to the bitter end," Davos tells him.

"Where's Meachum?"

"I sent him home. This gives us a good opportunity to catch up. Don't rush."

"I have much more important things to do than waste time with you," Danny tries to get past Davos, but he steps in his way.

"You had your world, outsider," Davos begins bitterly, "And you had your place in it. Why did you decide to interfere with mine?"

"My world? Davos, do you think I feel at home here anymore than I did in K'un L'un? The last time I was here, I was a boy and now that I'm back, there's nothing left for me. You had your world. You had your people. You chose to leave it so don't blame me!"

"Oh, I certainly made a choice," Davos steps back and opens his gi, exposing his bare chest, complete with the serpantine shape running down his torso.

Danny's eyes widen, "What have you done to yourself?"

"I tried to take the Iron Fist. Unfortunately, Father interfered so the process was incomplete. That hasn't stopped me. I will have the Iron Fist or die trying."

"You're crazier than I thought."

"You took what was rightfully mine."

"It never belonged to you. Even your father knew that."

"You took my father's affection from me!"

"You lost it yourself!"

Davos uppercuts him hard enough to lift him into the air. He lands on his back and Davos presses the attack while he's on the floor. Danny gives his a sharp kick, forcing Davos back, thene leaps to his feet and takes a fighting stance.

"When you attack, Daniel Rand-K'ai," Davos lowers his hands, "Don't hold back. Give me all that you have. Unleash your full power."

"You've seen what I am fully capable of. Are you sure you want to take that risk?"

"I'm sure. Summon the Iron Fist. If you kill me, you will be blameless. I challenge you!"

"If that's what it takes to end this," Danny clenches his fist, "Then so be it," his fist ignites in golden energy, "K'aaaii!"

He strikes with the Iron Fist, energy flowing as he moves. Davos quickly raises his hands and claspes them together on either side of Danny's fist, catching the punch as a cloud of yellow energy evaporates into the air. He smiles as a glimmer of light shines in his eyes. Danny stares with disbelief, then looks down as the dragon mark on his chest begins to burn away. Meanwhile, the serpantine shape on Davos' chest begins to smulder as the snake figure grows two black wings. The shape completely disappears off Danny's body, leaving him powerless and bewildered. "Thank you, Daniel Rand-K'ai," Davos gives him a strong kick in the chest.

The blow sends him flying out of the office, into the recetionist area with enough force to crack the desk once he connects. Davos passes through the doorway, checking his right fist. He stops in front of Danny who remains on the ground, stunned both emotionally and physically. A faint glow emerges between Davos' fingers as he concentrates, gradually summoning the Iron Fist. Danny's eyes widen as Davos' fist bursts with crackling energy. He glances from his hand to Danny who quickly tumbles out of the way. Davos throws a low punch, missing his target but completely blasting the large oak desk into splinters. The shockwave from the explosion is still enough to throw Danny against the wall, smashing the plaster before hitting the floor.

"You should look back fondly on the time you spent weilding this power," Davos ignites his fist again, "It now belongs to someone who has earned it."

Davos slams his fist into the floor. The tiles rise with a burst of energy, along with Danny, then it all comes down. The ceiling drops in the floor below them, sending dust and debris everywhere. Danny lands on top of the rubble, struggling to stay conscious. Davos drops in through the hole, landing in front of him, breathing heavily from his usage of the Iron Fist but he continues to ignite it again. Danny manages to summon enough strength to grab Davos by the ankles and throw him off his feet. The "Steel Serpent" falls against the wall, his Iron Fist completely destroying it once it makes contact. The office on the other side of the wall gets a hole blown through it with debris flying hard enough to push the desk and smash the window. Davos falls inside the office but angrily gets back up. Danny lifts himself up on his knees but Davos brings a kick to his ribs which flops him over onto his back. He grabs Danny by the throat with one hand and angrily lifts his other. He grits his teeth, summoning the faintest glow in his fist before it dies out completely.

Bewildered and exhausted, he lets go and sits back, struggling to breathe. Danny slides over to the wall and props himself up. The two men sit on either side of the hall, catching their second wind. "Now... do you see... why your father... didn't let you have the Iron Fist," Danny gasps, "You must... have willpower... Patience. You can't let... your emotions... control you."

Davos struggles to his feet, eventualling standing on his own. He takes a look at him, then turns away. He staggers through the debris, stops, and then spins into a roundhouse kick. A second later, Danny crumples to the floor in an unconscious heap. Davos manages to smile despite barely being able to stand. He hefts a broken pipe into his hands and raises it above his head, ready to kill his rival.

Then a gunshot rings out, knocking the pipe from his hands. He turns to see Misty Knight and Colleen Wing standing at the other end of the hallway; both of them with their snub-nosed magnums trained on him.

"That was a warning shot," Misty tells him, "The next one goes through your knee. Get away from him!"

Davos staggers back and quickly disappears through the large hole in the wall. The girls rush after him but when they enter the damaged office, they see he is already gone, likely through the broken window. "Let's get him out of here," Colleen tells her partner. Soon, they help Danny to his feet, carrying him down the hall.

"It's okay, Danny," Misty tells him, "We gotcha."


	22. Chapter 22

A car flies down the highway. Danny rests in the backseat, slouched against the window. He rubs his head painfully, then sits up. Colleen drives while Misty turns back to speak with him.

"Always gotta do things yourself, don't you?," she asks, "If you listened to me, you wouldn't have gotten the crap kicked out of you. Who was that back there?"

"His name is Davos. He and I were rivals in K'un L'un."

"The prince you told me about?," Colleen asks.

"That's the one. It seems he followed me here. He took the Iron Fist."

"He took it? How?"

"Long story. He has that power now and it's only a matter of time before he comes back for me."

"So you're powerless?," Colleen asks.

He looks at his bare chest, "It seems that way."

"Why was he at Rand-Meachum?"

"He apparently decided to help Meachum by killing me."

"Well, if we can bring Davos in for questioning, that will only help our case. We got `im."

"Who?"

"Meachum. The guy who broke into your room gave the cops enough information and with your testimony, the police have agreed to investigate Howard Meachum."

"I never talked to the police."

"I told them you were willing to speak with them, they pulled some strings. I told you I had friends on the force."

"For now, sit back and relax. We're going to take you to the office to get you patched up," Colleen tells him.

"No. We're not going back to your office," Danny tells her frankly.

"Where are we going then?"

Howard Meachum lives in a very nice condo in Manhatten. In his bedroom, he zips up a suitcase while talking on the phone. "Just have the jet ready by the time I get there," he yells into the reciever before putting the phone away. He grabs his bags and quickly heads out to the living room area. He checks his things before opening the front door, that's when he notices Danny Rand standing in front of him, bloodied and bruised, but still standing.

Meachum drops his things and stumbles back in a panic. "Danny," he backs up against a wall. Danny walks inside calmly with Colleen and Misty behind him. Meachum shakes his head but barely manages to get any words out.

"Your plan didn't work as well as you hoped," Danny tells him as he approaches, "I'm still alive."

"Danny... I'm sorry. I-I... You were right. I wanted your father's company and I took it... but-but I had no idea those men would take things so far... When I realized what had happened, I..."

"Save it."

Meachum clears his throat nervously as he shrinks back, "Are you going to kill me?"

"I considered it," Danny leans in, "But my parents' legacy is worth more than your life. My friends and I have collected enough information between us to convince the police to investigate."

"Is that true?," Howard looks over his shoulder at Misty and Colleen.

"They're writing up a warrant as we speak," Misty tells him.

Meachum slinks down to the floor, too shocked to speak.

"It's over. You've been exposed. On top of that, you have allied yourself with one of the deadliest men on the planet who is now in possession of a great deal of power. The only possible bit of redemption or safety for you to receive would be to surrender yourself to the police before you get any deeper."

With that, Danny turns and leaves with Meachum left defeated and alone.


	23. Chapter 23

At Knight-Wing Restorations, Danny lays back on the office couch with an ice pack on his head. Colleen checks up on him.

"How are you feeling?," she asks.

"Better."

"You really should have listened to Misty."

"But you supported my original decision to go after Meachum," he says with a smile.

"Obviously, I was wrong," she smiles back, "I got too wrapped up in the culture of a mystical world. You should've stuck with Misty instead."

"I'm beginning to realize that."

"You know she really likes you."

"I know. I like her too."

"If you want to be with her, you'll need to do a better job at taking care of yourself. I know what it was like for her with the last guy she was with. She can't take being involved with another reckless jerk who wants to play cowboy."

"Thanks for the concern."

"I just know she has poor judgement when it comes to men."

"What, you think I'm a bad guy?"

"I said you were reckless! I know you're not a bad guy!"

"How do you know that?"

"Because I like you too," she pats him on the cheek and leaves.

The next day, a board member of Rand-Meachum enters a badly damaged hallway, gazing up at the massive hole in the ceiling. Behind him, police officers swarm the area. He soon joins the rest of the board who are standing nearby.

"What the hell happened?," he asks.

"We don't know yet. CCTV cameras have been deactivated and the overnight security staff are nowhere to be seen. Obviously, there's been some kind of trouble and they were possibly involved."

"Where's Meachum?"

A man sits in his apartment, tied to a chair and gagged while the television is on in the background.. In the next room, a shower is heard running. Soon, it's shut off and Davos enters, drying his hair. He walks past the man tied up in the chair and goes to the kitchen where he takes a chicken leg out of the refridgerator and bites into it. He walks back into the living room, briefly looking at his captive. "Thank you for your hospitality," he says as he bites into the chicken leg again, "I haven't had a warm bath or food for a while." He sits down, to watch the TV, his jaw dropping open once he sees the man onscreen. Howard Meachum is led out of his home along with police officers. A newscrew follows as an anchor gives the report. "In other news, Rand-Meachum CEO, Howard Meachum has surrendered to police this morning," the board members of Rand-Meachum watch the footage from their boardroom, "Sources say he has turned himself in for the deaths of Wendel and Heather Rand, which occurred ten years ago," Davos stands to his feet and leaves the man still tied up, "His lawyers could not be reached for comment." Misty, Colleen, and Danny watch the footage in the office of Knight-Wing Restorations.

"It's over," Misty smiles and turns to Danny, "We won."

"Not yet," Danny tells her.

She rolls her eyes, "Can't you be happy, Danny?"

"I am. I really am but Davos is still out there somewhere. This is not going to end until at least one of us is dead."

"We can bring in the police," Colleen adds.

"Not this time. He's too dangerous. As long as he has the Iron Fist, he is almost unstoppable," he gets up.

"What are you going to do?," Misty asks him.

"I need to go up to the roof. Clear my head. Davos will be coming for me and this time, he will be much more dangerous."

"Do you think you can get it back?," Colleen asks, "The Iron Fist, I mean."

"If I want to survive going up against Davos again... I should hope so."

"Wait," Misty rushes to him and gives him a kiss on the lips, "That's all."

"Thank you," Danny smiles and kisses her back, then leaves for the roof.


	24. Chapter 24

Meachum is led to a holding cell by a guard. It's a small holding area with only a few other criminals in adjoining pens.

"We can keep you here until the trial," the guard tells him, "But your lawyers have offered to pay your bail."

"I know," Meachum explains, "Something tells me I might be safer here."

It's night now. Davos stands outside a police precinct and makes his way up the steps. He enters the police station and walks up to the front desk. An officer looks up from his newspaper, "Can I help you?". "I understand Howard Meachum is being held here." "I'm sorry, I can't release that -, " the officer's sentence is cut short when he recieves a quick blow to the temple. The security camera picks up Davos kicking the door in, entering the station. The officer on survielence duty sits up in his chair and quickly radioes to the rest of the precinct. "We have a 616. Repeat, we have a 616 at the main entrance." Officers in a rec room hear the message and quickly leave their seats. In the detention area, the guard on duty speaks into his radio, "I'm on it." He quickly leaves the area with a nervous Howard Meachum behind.

Davos confidently marches through the corridor. Suddenly, a door bursts open and a group of police officers block his path, one of them holding a taser. "Get on your knees and put your hands over your head!," he shouts, "We will use whatever force is neccesary!" Davos smirks and dashes forward, somersaulting into a flying kick that sends the officer down the hall. He lands on his feet and uppercuts one officer before snapping his heel back, kicking another in the chest. An first officer raises his taser but Davos deflects the weapon, making him hit one of his own partners who falls to the floor, twitching. Davos drops him with a palm thrust. The officer who was tripped stands up, pulling the nightstick from his belt. Without looking, Davos slams his elbow into the man's throat, grabs him by the collar, and hurls him into the wall. As the officer slides down the wall in a daze, Davos relieves him of his nightstick and continues on his way.

As he continues, another officer pops out of a doorway with a nightstick. Davos blocks the blow with his own baton and takes him down with a backswing. The officer falls and Davos acquires a second weapon. Once he makes it to the end of the hall, he finds himself quickly flanked by two more officers who now have their guns drawn and trained on him. "Drop your weapons!," one of them shouts. Davos wastes no time and slaps the guns with his nightsticks, forcing them to fire two bullets into the wall and floor. He pivots between the two men, jabbing the nightsticks into their torsos multiple times before he spins into a flourishing kick, bringing them both to the ground. He casually steps over one of the officers and tosses a nightstick to the side, leaving only one in his possession. An officer silently enters the hallway and takes aim with his gun while Davos has his back turned. Sensing something is wrong, Davos stops, cocks his head curiously to the side, and then turns, hurling his last nightstick down the length of the hall.

Inside the main center, several officers and detectives pass shotguns and ammo. They stoop down behind their desks and take aim at the door. They wait a few moments, guns drawn, for any signs of their attacker. A few moments go by that seem like hours to the officers before a cop is thrown through the wood and glass door. Davos steps into the room and the officers spring into action, shouting at him to get down and put his hands above his head. Davos smiles slightly and begins to comply. He slowly gets down on his knees and places both hands behind his head. Two police officers carefully step forward with their rifles held firm, taking aim on either side. Another officer approaches from behind with a pair of handcuffs. He comes close and reaches for the wrist, only for Davos to suddenly clench his fist, igniting it with chi energy.

Howard Meachum raises his head as he hears a muffled explosion, the walls shaking slightly as the lights flicker. This is followed by furious gunfire which gradually dies down more and more. The other criminals in the holding cells lean against the bars, listening as the final shots can be heard. Then, there's silence. Meachum sweats slightly as he stares at the entrance to the dentention area. Soon, a minor explosion blasts the heavy door across the room. The metal door clamors to the ground and the criminals leap back. Davos enters with a set of bloody keys. Meachum steps back with a confused stare as Davos unlocks his cell and steps inside. He backs up against the wall and shakes his head, "I don't underst-". Davos catches him by the throat, a twisted smile on his face. A quick twitch of his arm later, and a dead body drops to the ground.


	25. Chapter 25

The board in Rand-Meachum sit in their meeting room. "This doesn't look good," the chairman explains, "Howard's in police custody and he's not even speaking to us or his lawyers. Apparently, Howard sent some people after Danny Rand and, if his testimony is true, he was responsible for his parents' deaths. Who knows what else he's been invovled with."

"This is going to be a PR nightmare," one of the chairmen exclaims.

"So who fought all those security guards?," another asks.

"Who knows? It's not like we have any footage."

"I can't believe Meachum would do something like this."

"Howard was acting strange before Danny showed up."

"So what happens now? We're going to need to find a new CEO. Do we bring Danny Rand into this?"

"Has anyone contacted Danny since Howard was arrested?"

"He's not in his hotel room. Especially now that the police are investigating it as a crime scene."

"Okay, someone try to get in contact with him. We'll bring him onto the board as planned. Meanwhile, we'll work to find a replacement for -"

The secretary bursts into the room, "I'm sorry gentlemen. I just received word that someone killed Howard Meachum."

The boardroom exchange worried glances.

Danny practices on the roof, bare chested, taking various stances before performing quick strikes. He places his palms on the ledge, balancing himself on his hands, overlooking the streets below; then pushes off, flipping back toward the roof where he lands on his feet. From there, he squats into a lotus position and begins to meditate.

Misty and Colleen are in their office with Misty on the phone, looking worried, "Are you sure?... How many survivors?... Thank you," she hangs up. Colleen perks up, "What happened?" "I just received word that someone attacked the police precinct, killing several cops and wounded a few more. Whoever it was also went into the holding cell and killed Howard Meechum." Colleen stares, dumbfounded but before she says anything, there is a polite knock on the door. Misty looks up curiously and back at Colleen, "Were we expecting a client?". Colleen looks at her desk calender, "No." There is another knock. Misty shrugs and goes to answer the door and once she cracks it open a bit, it is suddenly struck from the other side with enough force to knock her to the floor. Colleen leaps to her feet as she sees her friend getting thrown into the office.

Davos enters and delivers another kick just as Misty gets back up, sending her onto the couch. Colleen snatches her ancestrial sword from the wall, quickly dropping the sheath on the floor before leaping over her desk. She takes several swipes at Davos who backpeddles away from the blade. She performs a sweeping, underhand slice that cuts across Davos' hip and kicks him to the floor. He checks the cut and angrily looks back up at her. She twirls the blade around and strikes in a downward thrust, so he rolls to the side as it gets stuck in the floor. He spins around on his back, giving her a kick to the knees which knocks her down with her sword still stuck in the tiles. He sits up just in time to have Misty's gun pressed against his forehead. "Make a move, sucker," she growls. He backhands the gun away as a bullet passes him. She brings the gun back around for another shot, but he quickly twists her arm back, forcing her to shoot out the window, then strikes her wrist to force it from her hand. She reveres the hold and pushes him away with a palm thrust to the chest. At that moment, Colleen comes in with a flying kick that sends him against the wall. The ladies stand side by side, striking a fighting pose. He jumps back to his feet with a smile, "Now I see why Daniel Rand-K'ai is so fond of the two of you." They leap forward with a double kick but Davos pivots to the side, dodging both legs. He blocks Misty's punch and ducks under Colleen's fist. He pops back up with a palm strike to her face. He blocks a low kick by Misty and backhands her. Colleen goes for her sword again, attempting to pull it out of the floor but he comes in from behind with an elbow to the base of her skull. She falls unconscious. Misty snatche her gun from the floor but by in the time it takes to take aim, she recieves a kick to the face. She falls alongside her partner on the floor,

Davos rubs his chin, a dark smile creeping across his face, "You've done well, Daughters of the Dragon," then approaches.

Back on the roof, Danny continues to meditate. He recalls the day he placed his hands in the shrine of Shou-Lao and gained the power of the Iron Fist. He recalls, Kei Lung's words, _"You now have the power of the Iron Fist inside you. It will always be inside of you." _Then he remembers his own words spoken to Misty Knight, _"I'm still learning how it works. I think there's more to it than just punching things really hard."_

Danny slowly closes his fist. His breathing becomes deeper. The words of Kei Lung return to him, _"Concentrate. Feel it. Focus all your energy...," _His chest begins to burn slightly as it turns red but then he begins to get flashes of Howard Meachum, his parents, and Davos. He grits his teeth angrily while his chest reverts to normal.

"_Do not be distracted. You have a balanced mind. Use it."_

Danny begins to calm himself again. He imagines his parents once again, but this time, it is a different memory: one in which they sit happily in a diner, sharing milkshakes. A smile creeps across his face.

His chest burns, revealing a long, serpantine shape.

He remembers training in K'un-L'un as Kei Lung watches.

The partial mark of Shou-Lao blackens on Danny's chest.

He remembers his first kiss with Misty.

His eyes opens as a flash of golden circles around his iris.

He raises his head. Calmly, he stands to his feet and examines the mark on his chest. His power has not yet fully returned but it's a start. He stands on the ledge, overlooking the city, ready for his next battle.


	26. Chapter 26

Danny bounds down the stairs and comes to Misty and Colleen's office. When he opens the door, he sees the aftermath of the battle: broken window, disturbed furniture, and Colleen's sword sticking out of the floor. He scrambles to the discarded sword, noticing a note stuck to it. **BASEMENT** is all that is written on it but Danny immediately knows what it means. He crumples the paper in his hand and leaves.

The basement is wide, with a boiler, boxes, several pipes running along the surfaces, and a seperate storage area. A few scattered lightbulbs hang down, shedding some light in the dark room. Misty and Colleen dangle from the multiple pipes, still unconscious, with police issued handcuffs around their wrists.

Not far away, Davos examines Misty's gun, opening its chamber to see it bullets before snapping it shut and giving it a closer inspection. At the same time, Colleen's eyes slowly open. She examines her surroundings before turning to her partner, "Misty". She wakes up as well and looks around, "So... this is happening."

Davos appraoches them with a smile, "I'm glad you're awake."

"Why are you doing this to us?," Colleen asks.

"This isn't about you. You're only bait."

"For Danny?," Misty mutters.

"Yes. Well done."

"You're the prince he told me about," Colleen exclaims, "Davos."

"I see my reputation proceeds me. Good."

"Danny's done nothing to you," Misty continues.

"He has done plenty."

"Such as?," Colleen asks.

"Your kind simply cannot understand."

"We don't understand because we're not batshit insane," Misty snaps.

Soon, Danny makes his way to the bottom of the stairwell where he enters the basement of the office building. Once again, he is wearing his K'un L'un fighting garments and mask. This time, however, his shirt fully covers his chest, the partial mark of Shaou-Lao obscured. Colleen and Misty raise their heads as he approaches. "Danny," Misty smiles, hopeful. From the shadows, Davos emerges, "Daniel Rand-K'ai. I hope you're in good enough shape to fight. You took quite a beating last time."

"Let them go," Danny commands him, "This is between us."

"That would defeat my purpose."

"So what happens now? I'm supposed to make some sadistic choice? Choose which one lives or dies? Is that your plan?"

"No, actually, I'm going to kill them both after I deal with you. I simply want you to know that I'm taking everything away from you. I want you to die knowing your friends are next. There will be no hope for them. No one to save them."

"You have to bring innocent people into this? Wasn't the Iron Fist enough for you?"

"No. You should also know I've taken something else from you."

"What?"

"Howard Meechum's life. I killed him myself. I've taken your revenge."

"Revenge? I didn't want revenge, Davos. I wanted justice."

"That doesn't sound like a true K'un L'un warrior. Was that your idea?," he looks at Colleen and Misty, "Or theirs?"

"Oh, they had to convince me but you certainly helped."

"How so?"

"Looking at you, I saw firsthand what vengence does to a man. How he can be so full of pride and hate that he abandons everything. How he can give up his past and future. And for what? A brief sense of satisfaction that leaves him empty. You took the Iron Fist, Davos but that hasn't brought you any sense of peace. Look at yourself. You're willing to kill people who have done nothing to you. If you kill me or these women, it won't be any more satisfying. I'm giving you this last chance to walk away because you can't possibly win."

Davos' response is a flying 360 degree kick, which forces him back with the first turn and finally connects with the second. Danny lands on his palms, facing the floor, then twirls into a sweeping kick that takes Davos off his feet. He rolls onto his back and sprints toward the opposite wall, Danny in hot pursuit. Davos runs up the wall vertically before backflipping completely overhead where Danny waits patiently. Once his foe has landed behind him, he delivers a kick to the chest that throws him against a pipe leading from floor to ceiling. Davos grasps the pipe and spins into a pinwheel kick, giving Danny a blow to the jaw in the process. The two dash toward each other and begin to unload a fury of punches with every blow being blocked or avoided. It escalates faster and faster before Danny finally catches Davos in an arm lock, then delivers an elbow across the bridge of his nose. He tries to throw Davos over his back but Davos flips over his shoulder instead, landing on his feet, then performing a reversal as he gives Danny a hip-throw. Danny falls on his back but curls up onto his shoulders, bringing both feet against Davos' chin. He continues the roll, landing on the balls of his feet as Davos staggers back. Once he regains his balance, Davos leaps forward in a flying-knee that knocks Danny into a stack of storage boxes.

Davos strides toward him, "I will admit, it was fun sparring with you, Daniel Rand-K'ai," he balls his fist, summoning the Iron Fist technique as chi energy pours between his fingers, "Goodbye". He takes an upward swing but Danny somersaults out of reach. He then arches his back to avoid another swing and pivots away to avoid a backhand. Danny takes several steps back, positioning himself in front of Colleen and Misty. Davos leaps high into the air, bringing his fist down. Danny, meanwhile, flops onto his back, placing his foot against Davos' stomach as he grabs his arm with both hands. He tumbles back, throwing Davos toward the wall where he hits, utterly destroying it in a burst of energy. He falls into the dark storage room behind the wall amidst chunks of debris. Meanwhile, the pipe holding the women breaks from the impact, the two of them falling to the ground. Danny quickly runs to them but Misty waves him off, "We're fine. Go kick his ass!". Danny nods and doublebacks toward the storage room. Misty pulls a pin from her hair and begins to pick the lock on Colleen's handcuffs.

In the shadows, a hand grabs a chunk of granite from a pile of concrete. Danny enters the dark storage room, the only light coming from the hole in the wall. Davos hurls the rock through the darkness but Danny sees it in time to leap into the air with an arching kick, smashing the chunk of stone into dust. Before he lands, Davos roars with fury and throws himself into the air, tackling Danny at the waist. They both hit the ground and whatever finesse Davos once had, disappears as he seemingly abandons his disciplined martial arts abilities for a more savage assault. He screams angrily and begins to pummel Danny with devistating punches. Danny curls up to avoid serious injury but is quickly forced to throw Davos off him. Davos bounces back onto his feet and steps away, quickly disappearing into the shadows. Danny spits and stands up, carefully following his foe. Soon, he is engulfed in shadows with no visibility. There is only darkness.

Then, a light forms as Davos' fist glows, eventually getting bright enough to fill the storage room with light. Misty and Colleen stand at the hole in the wall, silently witnessing the final battle. Danny takes a defensive stance with one hand forward and one close to his chest. The two pace around one another like caged tigers until finally, he beckons Davos to attack with his outstretched hand. Davos obliges, throwing a wild haymaker, a trail of energy following his fist as he strikes. Danny quietly closes his eyes, his hand still outstretched. As Davos' fist draws near, he flips his palm over and catches the punch. Davos' jaw drops and Danny pulls his shirt open to reveal his bare chest; the partial symbol of Shaou-Lao now visible. "No," Davos whispers as Danny begins to draw the energy back into his body. His eyes open with a slight shimmer of gold as his chest begins to flare up. Davos grasps his wrist tightly in a vain attempt to hold onto the Iron Fist but it quickly fades away, the symbol on his own chest disappearing. Twin wings form on Danny's mark, the power of the dragon fully restored in his body.

"NO!," Davos shouts as he reaches behind his back, pulling Mity's discarded snub-nosed revolver from his sash.

"Danny!," Misty shouts.

Danny says nothing as he clenches his fist, igniting a ball of energy. Davos points the gun at near point-blank range but it is too late. Danny throws the punch and the Steel Serpent is hit with the Iron Fist, his eyes going wild from fear. The energy engulfs him as his silohuette quickly disappears behind a flash of light and when it dies down, there are only shimmering embers left along with Daniel Rand, still in the striking pose. The light dies down and darkness returns. Outside the storage room, Danny rejoins the women who hug him simultaneously. Colleen lets go, allowing him to kiss Misty passionately.


	27. Chapter 27

The next day, the Rand-Meachum sign is being removed from the entrance to the building. Inside, Danny stands in front of a mirror in the lobby, fixing his tie which is still awkward and unkempt. Misty walks up behind him, "Here, let me," and begins to fix the tie for him.

"I'm getting better at it," he chuckles.

"Yeah. I just got off the phone with the police department. They're after Davos. I don't know how we'll explain his death."

"Being atomized by a 'glowing fist thing' will be a little tricky to explain," he jokes, "What about the Meachum case?"

"Even with Meachum dead, the police will still need your statement. They should be coming by this afternoon."

"I'm just glad all this madness is behind me."

"So what's going on here?," Misty takes a look at the remodling crew repairing the bulletholes in the walls then whispers, "Do they suspect you being responsible for this?"

"I was wearing my mask so no. I'll tell the police about the intruder in my hotel room but it might be a good idea not to reveal my secret identity," he says with a laugh.

"Secret identity? Who are you, Batman?"

Misty and Danny arrive at the top floor in an elevator. They pass a broken reception desk as they make their way through the hall.

"The company's going back to being called Rand Corps. They're bringing me on board as a member of the board but they can't hire me as CEO since I don't have the experience. I may not have complete control over my parents' company yet but at least I'm honoring their memory. It's all I care about right now.," They stop in front of the boardroom.

"And that's what makes you a good man," Misty kisses him.

"Thanks to you."

"Of course."

The door to the boardroom opens and the chairman sticks his head out with a smile, "Mr. Rand? We're ready for you." Danny nods to him and turns back to Misty. She smiles, "Make your parents proud." He leaves her and enters the boardroom to greet the other members, the door slowly closing behind him. Misty smiles to herself.

THE STINGER...

Carl Lucas stands on the street corner. The neighborhood is poor and rundown and soon, another teenager, Willis Stryker, approaches. The two of them clasp hands.

"You ready for this?"

"As ready as I'm gonna be."

They quietly slip into the apartment where Lucas quickly slips a laptop in his bag while Willis Stryker makes his way over to the surround sound system nearby. Suddenly, the lights turn on. A large man enters the living room with a baseball bat, "I see you punks!" Willis pulls the switchblade from his pocket and charges at the man. Before he can plunge the knife into his gut, however, Lucas tackles him to the floor.

**HE HAD NO FUTURE...**

Lucas is brought before a judge, "Mr. Lucas,... the court hereby sentence you to seven years in prison."

**THEY GAVE HIM AN ESCAPE...**

Two guards led a slightly older Carl Lucas through the prison while handcuffed.

"The prison has a new rehabilitation program... A medical experiment..."

Lucas is strapped in a chamber at his waist, wrists, head, and ankles. A cylinder sits to his right as an assistant connections plastic tubes to an IV.

"... If you volunteered, it would go a long way to getting parole."

"Let's make history," Dr. Busrstein says.

The assistant presses a button above one of the plastic tubes on the cylinder. The golden substance inside is sucked up into the IV where it flows directly into Lucas' arm.

Lucas' muscles in his arms and chest begin to inflate, slightly tearing his shirt. The monitor shows his heartrate increasingly rapidly. His eyes tighten shut.

… **BUT IT CAME AT A PRICE**

In a state of panic, Rackham pulls his gun and fires a single shot. The bullet hits Lucas in the shoulder, bouncing off, sending a spark after it. Rackham fires another shot which hits him square in the forehead. Lucas' head snaps back but he turns to the prison guard without a scratch.

A platoon of security guards in black armor stand ready along an upper level, rifles drawn. Cage stands below in an atrium. The men open fire from above, hitting him from 180 degrees along with the sound of denting metal. Cage jerks back and forth as his shirt is shredded...

… Cage stands up, swinging a captured guard by the ankle, batting away two of them before tossing him across the room. He punches another guard who flies back, hitting a column. As smoke dissapates, Cage rises to his feet.

John Miver shakes his hand, "I want you to come work for me."

"So what, I turn into some hero-for-hire?"

A suspect sprints down the sidewalk with Cage in hot pursuit. Finally, he catches up with him, tackling him to the ground.

"You have a knack for this sort of thing."

Cage holds on to the hood of a speeding car. He raises a fist, digging it into the metal.

"It'll be good for business."

Cage enters a night club and greets several people. Someone greets him on the street, "What's up, Cage?". Some young boys watch his foiling a bank robbery on Youtube. "He's bigger than Iron Man right now," John McIver tells a reporter.

A group of teenage girls are interviewed, one of which, exclaims, "I think he's hot".

"It's crazy, huh?," Cage exclaims over the phone, "I'm being recognized on the street. He's giving me a steady job and I'm putting some bad guys away."

Jessica Jones meets with him at dinner, "I'm worried..."

"What's the worst that can happen?," Cage asks with a shrug.

A group of armed men in masks pour through the front of a bank. "Nobody move," the head robber announces as everyone in the bank raises their hands. Cage shows up, "Alright, This is where I come in." He quickly takes out two of them and turns to see the remaining men arming a rocket launcher which is fired, blasting off across the floor until it connects with Lucas' chest where it explodes, sending him through the glass door and across the street.

Stiletto and Discus emerge from a speedboat while on Ryker's Island. They wear dark body suits with ammo strapped to their arms and chests.

"We have a lot of gangsters getting out now and they're getting weapons."

Discus throws a bladed weapon. A second later, the inside of the prison is blasted open. Stiletto fires blades from his wrist launcher out of a broken window, hitting a police squad car and busting the windshield. Willis Stryker places a helmet over his face. He uses his armor to wrap coils around Cage's ankle and hurls him through a wall. Cage flies through the air and kicks him, sneidng him through another wall.

"You were much more difficult to kill than expected, Mr. Cage."

"Yeah. Sorry to disappoint."

**LUKE CAGE: HERO FOR HIRE**

**Now Showing:**

** s/8665319/1/Luke-Cage-Hero-For-Hire-The-Movie**


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